The Adversary's Daughter
by CollieandShire
Summary: Takes place after the movie. Merida and her younger sister, Ilene, discover the reason why Ilene was never prepared for marriage like Merida was. This discovery leads to a journey to the nearby country of England, where the two sisters seek answers they cannot find at home. AU, considering that Merida never had a younger sister in the movie.
1. A Stranger

_Hello everyone! This is my first Brave fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy it. I have been working hard on this story, so I hope you read it and review!_

_Before I start though, I'd like to dedicate this story to two very special individuals, T.E.M. and Ebony._

_T.E.M: You are a special girl, you are, and you mean so much to me. You are my real-life Merida, and you are my sister. 'Sister mine, you shall always be.' Thank you for being my friend and for the fun times we've shared! _

_Ebony: Though I only spent two months with you, you shall always have a special place in my heart, you beautiful horse. You inspired me for the Shire horse I named Mystery, and I hope you're happy at your new home, and you enjoy your new rider. I'm so glad that I got to spend a little time with such an amazing horse! I pray that someday God will let me own a horse just like you._

_To all: I hope you enjoy this story and have as much fun reading it as I did writing it. I will try to post often!_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

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_Chapter One_

A Stranger

Scotland was beautiful at this time of year. The leaves were turning all kinds of colors, the temperature was dropping, and frost was just beginning to blanket the morning grass. The lake that lay below the Castle of DunBroch looked cold and refreshing, and the shores were teemed with wildlife that were out to get a drink of water. Deer cautiously lowered their heads to quench their thirst, ever wary of danger. A herd of yaks, herded by a young peasant boy, splashed into the lake, obviously enjoying themselves. A few coons dipped their paws into little puddles that had yet to drain from the rainfall of the previous night, and several birds sang their songs of the upcoming winter that would be upon them before they knew it, even if it was a month and a half away.

It was in these conditions that Peter Willingham rode on at a slow trot, his Frisian stallion bobbing its head up and down, tossing its mane every once in a while.

Peter liked this land. He liked it a lot. In fact, he wouldn't mind living here someday. But that was not why he was here.

He was here to visit the King and Queen of the four clans of Scotland, clan MacGuffin, clan Macintosh, clan Dingwall and clan DunBroch. King Fergus, was the King's name, and Queen Elinor, they called the Queen. The ground he was even now treading on with his horse was ruled by the King and Queen, along with their two daughters and three sons. It was because of one of those daughters that he was even in the land right now, instead of back at the mansion in Winchester. Because of one of the princesses he had been deprived of many nights of sleep as he lay shivering in the cold. But the handsome reward he was to receive upon his return back to England was worth it for delivering this message. He didn't even know why the man who called himself Nicholas even cared, for he was foreigner. But whoever held the gold made the rules, and so Peter never questioned the man's motives.

Catching sight of a hill he was sure overlooked the DunBroch kingdom, Peter urged his horse into a canter, who readily leapt forward, excited to be moving at a faster pace. Upon reaching the top of the hill Peter reined in the Frisian, and surveyed the land below him. He could see the lake, and the castle. He could see the surrounding lands, forests and open fields. But most importantly, he could see two young girls, one a redhead and the other a blond, racing their large black draft horses out of the castle grounds and out into the forest. They were too fine dressed to be of peasant blood, and Peter guessed they were the princesses Merida and Ilene. He watched until he could see them no more, hidden by the dark woods. Spurring his horse, he yanked the reins around and cantered away, heading back in the direction he came from. He would have his chance. His employer had given him specific instructions to wait for his opportune moment. He could hear Nicholas's voice clearly in his head, word for word.

_"Do not race into there like a mad man, take your time. They will deny your claims; they will deny what you have to say. Don't go to the King and Queen, but use the back way. Go to the princesses. But make sure when you make your approach that no one else is around. They are young ladies, and cannot handle your burden. Through them will you accomplish your mission, and then you may return to your land and I will pay you in full. It will only be a matter of time before dissention begins among the family, and the child will come here. It is then that I will fulfill my father's promise, and she will help me do it."_

That last bit had made no sense to Peter, as Nicholas rambled on, mostly to himself. It had made him question what this foreigner had wanted, but the reward was too much, and he'd be a fool to pass up such an amount. So, he had greedily accepted. Now he wondered just what he'd meant by _'It is then that I will fulfill my father's promise, and she will help me do it.'_ Who would help him? What was the promise? Normally Peter didn't really care what his employer's messages were, for he was just the messenger, and he only delivered the message for the senders. But this one was strange, and he couldn't help but think that there was more to this one than met the eye. _Clearly, there is something far deeper than what is on the surface. _Peter thought. And to think, it was all in the message that he carried. It was in the message that _he_, Peter Wellington, carried that would tear apart the royal Scottish family of DunBroch.

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_Please read and review! I will be posting more soon, as I write several chapters ahead of time and will post them when I recieve reviews! -Shire_


	2. Training in the Gland

_Here is the second chapter to my story, _The Adversary's Daughter. _Enjoy, and read and review, please!_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

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_Chapter Two_

Training in the Gland

"Well Ilene, if you plan on beating me you'll have to get a new horse!" Princess Merida shouted above the sound of the thundering hooves of their horses.

"Aye, that will be the day. I think you'll find I like me own mount well enough, and she can beat your hay belly stallion any day!" Princess Ilene called from behind with a laugh, urging her horse to catch up with her sister's.

Merida leaned forward on Angus's neck, whispering in his ear, "Come on me boy, faster!"

Angus tossed his head, his ear tickled by Merida's voice, and he stretched his neck out, lengthening his stride quite a bit. Merida glanced back to see Ilene catching up fast, her own horse, Mystery, leaning so far forward that she could almost nip Angus's tail.

"Hyaa!" Ilene shouted, and suddenly she directed Mystery off a different path than the one Merida and Angus were now galloping on. Merida knew instantly what her younger sister was doing, and was barely able to rein Angus in as Ilene leapt Mystery out of nowhere onto the path ahead, now leading the race.

"You cheated!" Merida yelled.

"But it was ye who forgot to tell me the rules!" Ilene cackled as she and Mystery went around a bend.

The race was over, Merida knew, but they could always race on the way home. Merida pulled Angus into a trot, and came around the bend where her sister sat atop her horse, Mystery snorting and panting after their long run.

"Don't think Mystery is faster than Angus, in a fair race he can hold his own." Merida snapped, pretending to be cross.

"Ah, Merida, when are you going to learn?" Ilene chuckled, dismounting off of her Shire mare, who tossed her head around. "Yah want to roll, me girl?" Ilene asked, unbuckling the cinch and pulling off the saddle. She then proceeded to take off her bridle, so she wouldn't catch on the reins when she rolled. "Aye then, off ye go!"

Merida had just finished un-tacking Angus, and the two horses started to walk around, sniffing the ground and pawing at the dirt, trying to find the right place to roll. Angus found a good spot first, and flopped down, rolling only partially and then getting up and flopping on the other side to itch the rest of his back. Mystery took much longer to find a suitable place, but when she did she stayed down for nearly a minute, throwing herself from side to side as she itched her back from where the saddle had been.

"Ye silly horses!" Merida giggled as both of the draft horses got up and shook off the dirt from their backs.

"Did ye notice Mystery rolled all the way over?" Ilene bragged. "I told ya, Shire's are better the Clydesdales."

"You and yer Shires!" Merida scoffed. "At least Angus is a true Scotsman's horse, not some English Shire."

Ilene shrugged. "That he is. But a Shire is the second best thing to a Scotsman's Clydesdale. Dad said so 'emself." Ilene stroked Mystery's neck as she began to graze alongside Angus, both horses greedily stuffing their mouths full of grass. "Besides, Mum's horse is a Shire. That proves they aren't that bad at all."

"No, they're not." Merida agreed. "But I wouldn't trade me Angus horse for a Shire any day."

The two sisters made sure their horses weren't planning on leaving without their riders, and then they happily made their way to their training grounds.

The training grounds was merely a place where Merida practiced her archery and Ilene practiced her fencing, than, half way through their free time, the girls would switch. Merida would work on her fencing, and Ilene would work on her archery. Both agreed though, that the other girl was far better at the sport that she'd started with than the one they'd switched off to.

"You know Ilene, you could really improve yer archery if you didn't hold the bow so far to the left." Merida commented as she shot off another arrow. Ilene was busy performing a series of moves with her sword as she almost seemingly danced with the weapon as she slashed and swung it around.

"I suppose you're right." Ilene said finally, taking so long to reply that Merida had thought she hadn't heard her. "I can't seem to keep it where I want it. I'm the second best girl archer in the land next to you, Merida, but I'm nowhere near good as ya."

"Well we both know that I am the second best fencer next to you, yet ye can beat me any day in a match." Merida pointed out. "Like Mum always says, we're each born with our own gifts, and there is a reason unseen to us why we don't have another's gifts. For me, archery is me gift. I just naturally have good hand-eye coordination. But you, yer gift be fencing. You are the only person I've seen incorporate such-well, _moves _into your fighting. It's like you're dancing, but not any kind of dance, a deadly dance where ye fell an enemy right and left. I have never seen anyone be able to do that."

"Well, thank you Merida." Ilene said shyly, smiling at her older sister. "I dare say I have never seen anyone shoot an arrow as straight as you. And for sure I can tell you yer the only person I've met who can place her arrow where she wants it anytime and every time." Ilene glanced at the target Merida was practicing her archery on, and shook her head with a laugh. "And that is proven by yer turkey target."

With that comment Ilene and Merida burst out laughing, for it was true. Merida's target _did _look like a turkey, with all the arrows sticking out of it till there was hardly any room for another arrow.

"It does look an awful lot like a turkey, doesn't it now?" Merida admitted.

"Yah, or the hide of Mo'rdu. " Ilene added. Merida shuddered.

"I don't want to think of Mo'rdu right now. I had plenty a run in with him this summer, when Mum and I had our wild adventure." Merida murmured. Both girls needn't be reminded on what that adventure was, they remembered it well.

It had all started when their Mum had written the Lords of the other three clans that Merida was ready for betrothal. Merida had been enraged, terrified, and sad all at the same time, wondering how she could show her mother that she just wasn't ready for marriage.

Merida remembered the night she'd been told that she was to be married, and how she'd stormed off to her and Ilene's room. Ilene had been sent there earlier as Mum and Dad told Merida the news.

Merida had picked up her sword and began swinging at her bed post, with which Ilene had responded by picking up her own sword and offering herself as a more worthy opponent. The girls had engaged in a silent sparring, Ilene sensing her sister's distress and remaining silent.

"It's not fair!" Merida had said suddenly, swinging her sword in an upper hand pose and clashing it against Ilene's. "It's just not fair!"

"What isn't fair, Merida?" Ilene asked quietly as she blocked Merida's sword and twisted it around, throwing it in the air and catching it, therefore ending the match. Ilene handed back Merida's sword, and Merida once more began hitting the bed post.

"Mum's makin me get married!" Merida wailed. "Suitors! Marriage! I'm not ready for marriage! I'm only fourteen, Ilene!"

Merida had continued to strike at the bed post in anger, Ilene watching silently from the side. "Why is it that Mum has always favored ye? Why couldn't you have been the oldest? Mum never made you study the way she made me study! Ye only had to study our history, which ye liked anyways. You only had to study reading and writing, and ye enjoyed it! And ye even enjoyed the music lessons! But did Mum make _you _practice public speaking? No! Did Mum make _you _prepare for marriage? No! Did Mum make _you _work for hours on end, forbidding you to leave the castle until lessons were done? No! Mum never made _you _do any of those things! She let you run free, she let you have your freedom, and never once did she mention marriage or betrothal for ye! Oh, I wish I was the youngest!"

"I do not control me own fate, Merida." Ilene had responded, slightly annoyed. "The truth is, yer the oldest, and I'm three years younger than ye. You have to accept it. We cannot trade places. I often wonder meself why Mum has never trained me the way she trained you. Perhaps it's because I'm three years younger than ye. I dunno. But whatever the reason, you can't blame me for yer problems with Mum. You need to look inside at yerself, to understand where half the problems come from. It takes two people to fight."

Ilene had been right of course, but Merida had been angry with the advice from her little sister.

"You probably don't care if I get married anyways!" she shouted crossly.

"Merida, I do not wish ye to be married." Ilene replied soothingly. "I would be all alone, with Hamish, Harris and Hubert as me playmates."

Even though Merida was angry, she couldn't help but laugh at the comment. No one wanted to be the triplets playmates.

Even with the wise words Ilene had spoken still ringing in her head, Merida still defied their Mum. In a last resort attempt to change her fate, Merida went to a witch to get a spell that would change her Mum. It did change their Mum alright-into a giant black bear. With only two days to break the spell, Merida, Ilene and their bear Mum wandered through the woods in search of the Wisps. When they realized the only way to change their Mum back was to fix the tapestry that Merida had torn in rebellion, they evaded Mo'rdu's evil clutches and raced back to the castle. But Dad didn't understand that the bear he'd found in the castle was Elinor, and chased her down to kill her, believing the bear had killed his wife. With little time left before the morning, the girls enlisted the help of their brothers (who had eaten the dessert Merida had given her mother that was actually a spell, and they'd turn to bears, too) and sewed the tapestry together, arriving in time for Merida to defend their Mum from their father. And then Mo'rdu had shown up. In a battle that almost ended in Merida's death, Mum defended the girls and shoved Mo'rdu into a stone that toppled onto the demon bear. Merida than had proceeded to cover their bear Mum with the tapestry, sobbing out her confessions for turning her Mum into a bear, and asking for forgiveness. And at last, the spell had been broken, and the fragile relationship between Merida and their Mum had been mended.

That had all taken place a season ago, and now summer had turned into fall, which would soon turn into winter. Merida didn't have to marry after all, and her Mum and she had a far better relationship than they'd ever had before.

To think that had only been three months before was amazing, for Merida had come far in her journey of life. And now here she was with Ilene, enjoying a fall afternoon playing instead of studies. Once their Mum had realized she could not turn Merida into herself, she lightened the study loads and let the girls have three hours every afternoon to play in the woods. And they enjoyed every bit of it.

"Merida." Ilene said, breaking Merida's train of thought. "I believe we'd best be going now."

"What!" Merida exclaimed. "We haven't even switched yet!"

"Aye, I know, but the sun's settin', and ye know Mum and Dad will have a fit if we're not back in the castle 'fore dark." Ilene told her, putting her sword in its sheath, which she'd strapped to her green dress that matched Merida's perfectly.

"I suppose yer right." Merida sighed, walking over and beginning to pull all of her arrows out of her target. "Ilene, can ye believe how far we've come?"

"It is shocking, when you look back at it all." Ilene agreed, walking over and helping her sister pull out the arrows out of the target. "You and Mum have come a long way, Merida. I'm so happy for ye."

_Just like Ilene to be happy for an improvement in someone else's relationship. _Merida thought. That was Ilene. She was a peacemaker-she was always trying to help others. Never had two sisters been so different and yet so alike.

Merida hated music lessons, Ilene loved them. Merida hated dancing, Ilene loved it. Merida hated history lessons, Ilene loved them. Merida found speaking boring, and even though Ilene was never required to practice public speaking, she did in her room, enjoying every minute of it. In almost everything Ilene and Merida were the completely opposite. The three things they had in common were they were sisters, they loved horses, and they loved adventure. They even looked different from each other! Merida and the triplets and their father all had bright red hair, a signature of a Scotsman. But Ilene had light blond hair; an odd factor considering their Mum had dark brown hair. No one was quite sure where Ilene got her blond hair, and she stood out like a sore thumb in the family of redheads. Merida sometimes wondered if it bothered Ilene that she looked different, but if it did, Ilene never showed it.

"There!" Ilene announced, once more interrupting Merida's thoughts. "We've gotten all the arrows out. Let's go and round up the horses."

"Aye, lets." Merida approved. Merida swung her bow over her shoulder, and used her other arm to drape across her sister's shoulder. "I believe we had a good day of training, did we not?" she said cheerily.

Ilene hugged her sister back. "Aye sister, we did. Now I hope we have a good evening of feasting!"

The two sisters laughed as they caught up their horses and tacked them up.

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_Hope you enjoyed my second chapter! Please read and review!_


	3. Ilene's Dream

_Here is chapter three of my story! I've already written out chapter thirteen, but I need at least one review per chapter to post the next one after. ;) I know these chapters are a little slow right now, but believe me, they're going to pick up after the next two chapters. I hope you enjoy my newest chapter, and please review! I really appreciate reviews, as I don't seem to get many of them! Oh, and I may not post the next chapter until after Christmas. (I wonder why? Perhaps like everyone else, I'll be too busy. :D) Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

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_Chapter Three_

Ilene's Dream

When the two DunBroch princesses arrived back at the castle, they found their family already seated around the table enjoying their evening meal. Their father, King Fergus DunBroch, was in the middle of his favorite past-time: storytelling.

But as usual, the DunBroch triplets, Hamish, Harris and Hubert, were not listening. They'd heard their father's tales a thousand times, and were plain bored of them. Ilene and Merida scooted into their seats quietly as they listened to their father tell the tale of the battle of the Scotsmen and the Englishmen.

"There I was, heading the greatest army those English snobs had ever seen, chargin' on me horse, screaming at the top of my lungs. The English general, one by the name of Lord Edward of London, drew his sword and charged 'is horse towards me, silent as a hawk swooping in on its prey. We clashed swords, swinging mightily at each other, both of us determined to win. Lord Edward leapt off his horse and tackled me to the ground, and thus began the greatest wrestling match the world has ever seen!"

"Except when Mum and Mo'rdu fought." Ilene corrected, sitting silently until now.

"Aye, except when Elinor and Mo'rdu fought." Fergus agreed. "That was a sight to behold."

"I didn't even see you two come in!" Elinor exclaimed, looking up from her meal. "You two were as quiet as mice, a rare up-taking indeed!"

Merida and Ilene giggled. "We wanted to hear the story." Ilene explained.

"What did you girls do today?" Elinor asked, thinking about mentioning to the girls that their choice in foods wasn't very healthy, (Ilene had grabbed two large slabs of steak, and Merida had picked out her favorite kind of meal, dessert) but, deciding they were old enough to learn from their own consequences, she remained silent.

"We went to the gland an' practiced archery and fencing." Merida said.

"Yah, and Mystery and I beat Merida and Angus in a race!" Ilene added in.

"You did not! You and yer horse cheated!" Merida protested, glaring at her younger sister. Ilene laughed.

"Aye, but like I said earlier, it was ye who forgot to let me know the rules."

"You just wait, in a fair race Angus would be Mystery any ol' day!" Merida challenged.

"I'll race ye, and you'll see that Mystery is the fastest horse in the land!"

"Aye, you lassies will race." Fergus interrupted. "But it will be a fair race, one that I will plot out meself."

"Ye mean that you'll set up a race, a real proper race, for us?" the girls squealed at the same time. "Thank you Dad!"

"We'll make a day out of it!" Fergus announced. "The race between Merida and Ilene, to prove whose horse is the fastest. The whole DunBroch clan shall be invited, they shall!"

"Really!" Merida and Ilene leapt up from their chairs and shouted. "Oh Dad, yer the most wonderful Dad in all of Scotland!" Merida sang out.

"Well, if you two are going to be competing in a race, we'll have to make some sort of prize for the winner." Elinor said with a smile. "What kind of prize do you think should be awarded, Fergus?"

"A weapon." He said, his eyes twinkling. Elinor glared at him. "Just kidding."

"I should hope so. Goodness knows they already have enough weapons to arm an entire army!" Elinor said, a little disapprovingly. She understood now that a bow and a sword were needed for survival in the woods of Scotland, and she allowed the girls to practice their weaponry skills. Still, she felt a little wary of two princesses owning weapons, wondering what the English royalty would think if they ever heard the Scottish royalty were allowed weapons, even the girls. _Oh well, it doesn't really matter. _She thought. _What matters is the girls need to know survival skills, and they have learned those indeed. _But, she decided, they didn't need any more weapons than the ones they already had. Those were plenty enough.

"Perhaps we should have a garland of roses to put around the winning horse's neck." Ilene suggested.

"Phewy, that's what the English racers do!" Merida scoffed. "We don't want to be like any English racers, we be Scottish, born and bred! No, we must think of something different."

"Merida is right, that's tradition in England." Fergus observed. "Perhaps the winner's horse can have a crown of roses placed on its head."

"That would be unique." Elinor commented. "I don't believe I've ever heard of a crown of roses placed on a horse's head."

"Dad," Merida said, her eyes glimmering with excitement, "If we're going to make a day of it, perhaps we should invite the other clans to participate? Have them put forth their best rider and horse, winner takes all! Except this time I will compete legally."

What Merida was referring to was that when the oldest sons of the other clans had come to compete for her hand in marriage, Merida herself entered into the contest and beat them all, which defied tradition in every way. That had nearly ended in disaster, but thanks to her mother the matter had been cleared up and the Lords of the other three clans had gone away happy.

"Now there's an idea!" Fergus said in thought. "Sure! Why not? I can't see any harm in it. It's just a friendly competition."

"I'm not sure if that's such a good idea, Fergus." Elinor said, troubled. "You know how you and the Lords can get."

"I promise upon my sword that I will not fight with the Lords, even if they ask for it. Which they usually do." Fergus vowed. Elinor rolled her eyes.

"Please, Mum? It would be so exciting to have a full out race!" Ilene pleaded.

Elinor glanced from one of her daughters to the other one, seeing the eagerness in their eyes to compete in their very first race. "Very well, we'll invite the other clans to put forth their best riders and horses." She said, smoothing her dress.

"Thank you Mum!" the girls cried, running over and hugging their Mum.

"You're very welcome." She told them. "Now go and feed your horses, I'm sure their hungry from their long ride today."

"Yes Mum!" with that, the girls ran out through the servant's quarters and towards the stalls, giggling and leaping with joy.

"Oye, Ilene, isn't this exciting?" Merida asked between leaps.

"It is indeed! To think, we'll compete in a real race! I bet Mystery will win." Ilene couldn't help but put in that last bit, a teasing look in her eyes.

"Don't count on it, Ilene." Merida said with a grin. "Come race day, Angus and I will be in such good shape no one will stand a chance against us!"

"We shall see." Ilene said, grabbing a pitchfork and going towards Mystery's stall. Mystery nickered at the sight of her as she forked up six leaves of hay and threw it into her feed trough. Merida forked the same amount and threw it to Angus, who chomped on the hay as soon as it was in his trough. Merida glanced from her horse, a large, black Clydesdale stallion with four white stockings and a white blaze, to Ilene's horse, a giant Shire mare that was completely black except for a white question mark on her forehead and one white cornet band on her left hind foot. Both horses were beautiful, kind and gentle, and both horses had their quirks. Angus could be stubborn, and Mystery had a bad habit of kicking at other horses, particularly male horses. Even with their bad habits, the girls loved their mounts dearly, and couldn't imagine life without them.

"Merida." Ilene spoke, poking her head from the stall that she was now cleaning. "Do you ever wonder what yer fate would have been if ye hadn't set out to change it?"

Merida straightened up and leaned against the pitchfork she was using to clean Angus's stall. "Mum says we can't change fate, no matter how hard we try. I set out to change me fate, but even though I thought I could change it, I was really doing exactly what my fate was. We can't change are fate, our futures are already written out. The books on our lives are already written, and we're just now discovering more and more of our stories. I suppose then, that the answer to your question is that I didn't change me fate, I just followed it."

Ilene was quiet as she finished cleaning Mystery's stall and putting the pitchfork away. "Merida, can I tell ye something I've never told anyone?" Ilene said suddenly.

"I'm listening." Merida replied as she also finished cleaning Angus's stall and put her pitchfork away.

"I keep having this dream, over and over again." Ilene began, sitting down on a hay bale. "It starts out that I'm in a forest, but it is not our own forest, but a strange one. I am standing there, and a man I've never seen before walks up to me. 'Who are ye?' I ask. 'My dear Ilene, don't you know me?' he replies. He is sad, but I don't know why. 'I'm sorry, m'Lord, but I don't know who you are.' I reply, bowing before him. Somehow I knew he was of royal blood. 'Ilene, oh, Ilene! Come back to me!' he calls, stretching his hands out to me. I step back from him, and I am afraid. His voice is strange, for he is not a Scotsman nor is he an Englishman. I don't know what he is, perhaps he is a Northerner. 'I can't come to you if I don't know you.' I say to him, continuing to back up. 'But you do know me, Ilene, you do!' he wails. I start to run away from him, terrified. He chases after me, and tackles me to the ground. 'Let me go!' I cry. 'Let me go!'

'Ilene! Remember Lord Edward! He knows who I am!' I kick him, hard, and he releases me, and I run away. 'Lord Edward knows me! He will tell you who I am!' I continue to run until I cannot see him anymore, and then I stop to catch my breath. Suddenly a shadow falls upon me, and I turn and scream as I stare at a sign. It fills me with terror, and I collapse and double over, trying to hide from the sign. I cry out in fear as a different man than before steps from the sign, a sword in his hand. 'Ilene.' He growls, and he swings his sword at me to kill me-and then I wake up."

Merida stared at her younger sister, who was looking at the ground, a stray tear falling from her eye. "It scares me, Merida. It scares me. I don't understand what it means, and yet this isn't the first time I've had this dream." Ilene wiped the tears from her eyes and glanced at Merida. "Ye don't think I'm crazy, do you?"

"No Ilene, I don't." Merida assured her. "But what was the sign? Why were you afraid of the sign?"

Ilene turned her gaze to the sky, furrowing her brow as she watched a flock of ducks fly over. "It was an animal, but not like any animal I've ever seen." She said slowly. "It was like a white bear with black stripes! But it had a long tail, and pointy ears. I have never seen anything like it. It filled me with terror, though, and I was afraid of it. It was-it was evil."

"And why Lord Edward, the man from Dad's story? Why did the man say 'Lord Edward knows me?'?" Merida inquired.

"That I think is from listening to too many of Dad's stories about the evil 'Lord Edward.'" Ilene said, a grin coming to her face. "This isn't the first dream I had where Lord Edward made an appearance."

"I know! I've had many a dream of him trying to fight with me!" Merida said with a laugh. Ilene joined in, and the laughed together. When they quieted down, Merida turned to Ilene. "Ilene, you said this isn't the first time you've had this dream." Merida prompted. Ilene nodded. "When do you have this dream?"

"Every time I've gotten sick I've had this dream." Ilene told her. "Ye remember that I was sick three weeks ago, right? I had the most terrible fever, and I had that dream. I've had it every time I've been sick, and I always wake up crying. Mum comforts me and tells me it's alright, but it is such a strange dream that it haunts me for nights after that."

"Well, if you only have it when you're sick, than I don't think it's something you should worry about!" Merida exclaimed. "I have this one dream every time I'm sick. It's about me standing on top of the castle with a really tight dress on, and I slip and fall and I grab the edge of the castle. But since I had such a tight dress on I couldn't climb up the wall, and I fall to my death below."

Ilene couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. "Just like ye to have a dream 'bout wearing a dress that kills you!" she howled. Merida laughed with her.

"Don't worry about it, Ilene." Merida said after they finished laughing again. "I'm sure it's just a meaningless nightmare."

Ilene nodded, and hugged Merida. "Thanks, Merida." She said. Merida hugged her back. "Merida?"

"Yes."

"Promise me you'll never tell anyone about this dream." Ilene sounded so desperate, that even though Merida thought her dream meant nothing, she promised.

"I promise, as long as you promise never to tell Mum it was I who ate the cranberry sauce she cooked three days ago."

Ilene laughed heartily.

* * *

_And there you have it! Remember the sign in Ilene's dream, as it's going to be important later. ;) Just thought I'd give you that heads up. Please review! I really really REALLY love reviews!_

_-Shire_


	4. The Race

_Got to post sooner than I expected! Thank you sweenypotterlover for the reviews! I appreciate it! :D _

_Here's chapter four of my story. Past here it starts getting exciting. I hit one hundred pages in the story this morning, and over twenty thousand words. Whew! That was a lot of writing. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and review, for I really appreciate reviews!_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

* * *

_Chapter four_

The Race

Elinor made good of her promise and sent off invitations to the Lords to compete in the very first four clan horse race. Each clan was permitted to submit two riders for the race, and two horses. The horses mustn't be under sixteen hands, and they must all be draft horses. The riders must not be over twenty-five, nor under the age of ten. Both men and women riders were welcome, seeing how the DunBroch princesses were to be representing the DunBroch clan.

Since Merida was fifteen now, and Ilene was twelve, they guessed they were going to be the youngest competitors in the race. "After all, I'm sure Lord MacGuffin, Lord Macintosh and Lord Dingwall will be entering their sons in the races." Merida explained to Ilene.

"Aye, and all three of the young Lords are at least seven years older than ye, and ten or more years old than me!" Ilene said with a grin.

"Now the question is, who will they'll be enterin' in as the second rider?" Merida said in thought.

Ilene had shrugged. "Who knows? Ye never can tell what the Lords are thinkin'."

"That's because they're men." Merida whispered in Ilene's ear. Both girls giggled.

The girls turned out to be right- the three Lords put forth their oldest sons. The second riders were two young men and one young lady who claimed to be the 'best riders of their clans, next to the Lords' sons.' So in all, the competitors were young Lord MacGuffin, young Lord Macintosh, young Lord Wee Dingwall, Mabry from clan MacGuffin, Leanne from clan Dingwall, Clyde from clan Macintosh and of course, Merida and Ilene DunBroch. The race was scheduled for the end of September, before the snows came. Merida and Ilene were practically bouncing off the walls with joy, barely able to wait until the clans came for the race.

"Quite a change in attitude since the last time the Lords and their sons came." Fergus teased Merida, who glared at him.

The kingdom of DunBroch was busy preparing for the race. A feast was to be cooked for the arrival of the Lords and their clans, and another feast would be made in honor of the winner of the _Four Clans Cup, _The official name given to the race by Queen Elinor. Everyone was talking and arguing about whom would win, and many bet their money on Merida, the spirited daughter of the DunBroch's.

Merida was proud that their people were voting for her, but afraid Ilene's feelings would be hurt.

"Aye, no!" Ilene exclaimed when Merida asked her if she was offended. "They'll just be more disappointed when I beat yah!"

"Ilene!" Merida scolded, to which Ilene laughed.

"Don't worry Merida, I'm not offended at all." Ilene assured her.

"I wish the end of September would hurry up and get here." Merida sighed. "I can't wait to race!"

Ilene agreed.

* * *

The three other clans arrived two days before the race, and a huge feast was held. Merida and Ilene were dressed like young ladies, and curtsied to the Lords and their sons. The sons attempted to flirt with Merida, trying to gain her attention, but she politely gave them no such thing, and instead spent most of her time with Ilene to avoid them. Ilene was too young for suitors, so the young Lords didn't flirt with Merida when Ilene was around.

"Do they really think I'm just going to fall in love with them because they're so strong and handsome?" Merida complained to Merida after the first night, as they both lay in their beds in their bedroom. "If I ever marry, it will be because me man has a good heart, a humble spirit and an intelligent mind."

"If you had to choose from the three sons, Merida, which one would you marry?" Ilene asked.

"Ilene!" Merida groaned.

"Humor me for a minute. If you had to choose one of them, which one would ye marry?" Ilene persisted.

"Ye have to tell me which one _you'd _marry first!" Merida replied indignantly.

"I'm too young for suitors."

"Than I won't tell you."

Ilene sighed irritably. "Fine, if _I _had to choose, I'd marry young Lord Dingwall."

Merida burst out laughing. "_Him? _You'd marry _him_!"

"Aye." Ilene snorted. "I heard from a reliable source that a man that doesn't talk much is a thoughtful man who is dwelling on more important things than foolish empty words."

"Yah, or he doesn't have a brain and therefore can't think of what to say."

"Merida! That's just plain mean."

"I'm only kidding Ilene." Merida sat up so she could see her sister's face. "Don't tell Mum I said that."

"I have half the mind to do that." Ilene said crossly, glaring at her sister. "Ye don't have to be mean, Merida."

Merida laid back down. "Aye, I suppose you're right. Sorry 'bout that."

"I forgive you. Now you have to tell me which one you'd marry if ye had to."

Merida was quiet for a minute, and Ilene thought she was going back on her word. "Merida, you'd better not go back on yer-"

"I am _not _going back on me word! I'm thinking."

"Yer takin' an awful long time to think, me girl."

"Oh shut it, Ilene." Ilene was quiet, and Merida sighed. "If I had to marry one of them, I'd marry young Lord MacGuffin."

Ilene choked back laughter.

"I'm serious Ilene! Of all of them he's the only one who seems to have an ounce of brains, and he isn't all showy, either. That's rare in a man."

"You'd have an awful hard time starting a conversation with him, Merida." Ilene said, still holding back her laughter.

"Ilene, you can be so childish." Merida groaned. "Go to sleep."

"Good night, Merida!" Ilene sang out. "Sweet dreams!"

"Sweet dreams yerself, Ilene!" Merida shot back. Then they both laughed.

* * *

Race day dawned clear and bright, and Merida and Ilene were up early, saddling up their mounts and preparing for the race. They also observed the horses and riders they'd be competing with, impressed especially with Mabry of clan MacGuffin and his large Percheron mare, Me Love, or Love for short. The mare was a grey one, the color of Queen Elinor's horse. It stood quietly for Mabry as he mounted up, but once he was seated in the saddle and asked her on, she leapt into a gallop, tossing her head and bucking with joy. Mabry stayed on her easily, even though he was riding bareback, and guided her gently until she calmed down. Merida and Ilene glanced at each other.

"They may be some competition." Merida commented.

"Aye." Was all Ilene said.

The race was set to start at nine o'clock in the morning, but they were to line up fifteen minutes early. After warming up Angus and Mystery, the two sisters rode into line with the other contestants. Young Lord MacGuffin was riding a sorrel Clydesdale stallion named Crusoe, young Lord Macintosh was riding a bay Clydesdale/Suffolk Punch cross by the name of Devil, for the mare was known to have quite a buck. Wee Dingwall was riding a black Frisian mare named Night, a horse who was obviously too _much_ horse for him, as he continuingly reined her in as she tossed her head around and stamped her feet impatiently. The other two riders, Leanne of clan Dingwall and Clyde of clan Macintosh, were riding Clydesdale crosses, Leanne's was a sorrel mare named Rita, and Clyde's paint mare was named Ghost, for her face was all white and she had blue eyes. And then there was Mabry on his Percheron, Me Love, on the far end. Six horses of all breeds Merida and Angus and Ilene and Mystery were up against, a challenge they welcomed. Mabry and young Lord Macintosh looked to be the only competition, but the girls couldn't be sure, for Leanne looked like a very confident rider.

King Fergus came forward on his horse to tell the contestants what the course and rules were.

"Thank ye all fer comin' today." He yelled out, and all four clans cheered. "Now the rules are no hitting, no shoving, no horse play," he paused as everyone laughed at that comment, "and no striking each other's horses. Are we clear?"

The riders nodded.

"Good." King Fergus pointed towards the forest. "Now yer course is straight into the woods, across the river, into the gland, around Mo'rdu's Rock, back across the river, back through the woods and straight back to the finish line. There will be flags markin' yer way. Understood?"

Once more all the contestants nodded, and Fergus grinned in approval. "Now, you shall all start when Mark here," he gestured to one of the guards, who saluted, "bangs the drum. Are ye ready?"

This time no one nodded. "Yes!" the riders shouted, and the crowds cheered.

"I wish ye luck. May the best horse and rider win!"

King Fergus rode his horse off the course as everyone cheered. One of the guards gave the signal, and the riders prepared to race.

"One!" the crowds shouted. Everyone leaned forward on their horses neck, but continued to hold the anxious horses in. "Two!" everyone took in a deep breath and concentrated on the course ahead of them. "THREE!" _BANG! _Mark the guard struck the drum, and the horses leapt into action, thundering down the path and swooshing by the spectators, who cheered on their favorites.

Merida and Ilene were near the back when the race started, but they were not worried yet. Behind them were young Lord Dingwall and Clyde, who were not doing so well as their horses nearly bucked them off in excitement.

"Hyaa! Hyaa!" Merida shouted at Angus, who drove ahead and passed Leanne. Ilene was right behind her, passing Leanne with ease.

"Come on Mystery! Come on me girl!" Ilene shouted, loud enough for Merida to hear.

The riders raced into the forest, leaping over logs and dodging branches as they continued on at break-neck speed. Ilene passed Merida and Angus, catching up fast with young Lord Macintosh and passing him too. They were nearly at the river, and Merida kicked Angus harder, knowing that if he wasn't being so competitive he would have balked at the sound of the water.

Merida passed young Lord Macintosh just as Ilene, Mabry and young Lord MacGuffin splashed into the river. Angus leapt into the water after the other horses, determined to catch up with them.

"Good boy Angus, good boy!" Merida praised her horse as they caught up with Ilene. Mo'rdu's Rock was just ahead, and already Mabry and Love had rounded it and had started back. "Let's win this race!" Merida yelled to Ilene. Ilene nodded. The girls leaned even farther on their horses necks, causing their mounts to lengthen stride and pass Lord MacGuffin. Merida and Angus were barely able to leap ahead of Ilene and Mystery before the turn came, and they dug into the ground and whirled around Mo'rdu's Rock, now in second place behind Mabry and Love.

"Good job boy, good job!" Merida squealed. "Keep on going boy, keep on going!"

Mabry was only about five horse lengths ahead now, as he and Merida thundered into the river and crossed it. Now only two horse lengths behind, Merida knew Angus was growing tired. _We have to win boy, we have to! _Merida thought desperately.

"Come on Angus, I know yer tired, but keep runnin'!" she encouraged the horse. Angus tossed his head and pushed forward. One horse length behind. "That's me boy, that's me boy! A little more!"

They were nearly out of the woods now, and Merida could see the castle. Angus ran faster than she thought he was capable of, and came alongside Mabry and Love. Merida could now see the finish line, less than one fourth a mile away.

"Faster! Faster!" she shrieked. "We're almost there!"

Angus was on his last wind, but still he pushed on, passing Mabry and Love by two inches, than by four, than by six, than by four again, than by eight…

Merida closed her eyes as Angus and her thundered across the finish line in first place. The DunBroch clan screamed its applause, and the other clans applauded her, too. Merida opened her eyes and saw her father grinning like a bear, and her mother beaming with pride. Merida whoaed Angus to a trot and headed towards her Mum and Dad. "I did it!" she called to them. Whoaing Angus fully now, Merida leapt off of her horse and hugged Elinor and Fergus. "I did it! Angus and I won!"

"I'm so proud of ye!" Elinor told her, hugging her daughter tightly.

"Aye, you've done good, lass." Fergus assured her.

The rest of the riders thundered across the finish line, but Merida didn't notice as Fergus placed a crown of roses on Angus's head, who promptly shook them off, causing much laughter.

"I suppose we'll leave the crown off for now." Fergus chortled. He instead placed it on Merida's head, who smiled as wide as the sun.

Here came her mother, with a brand new saddle and saddle pad, _winner of the first Four Clans Cup_ engraved on the side. Merida proudly pulled off her own saddle and put the new one on Angus, who glanced at it curiously. Never before had Merida owned such a saddle. Flowers were stenciled onto it, giving it a gorgeous look. It was a light brown color, and the seat was covered with bear fur to make it comfortable for long rides.

"Merida, I pronounce you winner of the first _Four Clans Cup_!" Fergus announced, and everyone went wild with applause. Merida hugged her parents once more, than turned to wave to the crowds.

It was only then that Merida realized Ilene was not with the six other riders who had crossed the finish line behind her.

* * *

_Augh! Cliff hanger! Where did Ilene go? Did she DIE!? (No, she didn't, I'm just messing around with you, my readers.) ;) Please review, I'd really appreciate it! Merry Christmas everyone!_

_-Shire_


	5. The Meeting

_Hello hello hello! I'm back! :D And with another chapter. Thanks to Synchronized Harmony and Sweenypotterlover for the reviews! I appreciate it so much! I hope all of my readers had a wonderful Christmas with their families! _

_So, this story is technically finished now (I finished it this afternoon, horray! Now I'm working on the sequel) but like I said earlier, I'll post the next chapter when I recieve one review. Which isn't asking too much, (I think) so please review!_

_Enjoy the next chapter!_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

* * *

_Chapter five_

The Meeting

Ilene groaned as she opened her eyes and found her world was spinning. _What happened? _She thought groggily. She sat up, than wished she hadn't as pain shot through her head. Everything was blurry, and Ilene had no idea where she was.

"Merida?" she croaked. No one answered. "Ohhh…" she moaned, closing her eyes and laying back down. It was then that she felt a wet nose against her face. "Mystery?" she whimpered, opening her eyes to see the big black horse nuzzling her. "Mystery, did you dump me?"

Than it all came back to her. They had been racing, and Merida had lunged ahead of her. To avoid running into her sister's horse, Ilene had pulled back on Mystery, but had failed to see the branch in front of her and had smacked right into it, throwing her from her mount and knocking her unconscious when she'd made contact with the ground. It was no surprise no one stopped to help her, no doubt thinking that the horse had bucked her off and she wasn't seriously hurt.

Ilene once more sat up, this time remaining steady. Her vision gradually cleared, and she found herself next to Mo'rdu's Rock, the rock that looked like the great demon bear.

"At least yer not the real thing." She muttered to the rock.

"Are you alright child?"

Ilene jerked her head around to see a tall blond haired man standing there, holding the reins of a black Frisian stallion.

"Who are ye?" Ilene demanded.

"Where are my manners? I am Peter Willingham, your majesty." Peter said, bowing before her. "Can I help you?"

Ilene glanced at the man warily. He had a British accent. "Tell me, Sir Peter, what brings ye to the kingdom of DunBroch?"

"I have a message for the royal family of DunBroch." He replied. He glanced her over. "You look like you had quite the fall."

"I'm quite fine now, thank ye." Ilene said, standing up. She shot her hand out to Mystery's withers to steady herself as the pain shot through her head once more. "Oww."

"You don't look alright, my dear." Peter said with a smile. He stepped towards her. Ilene stepped back.

"I'm fine." She said courtly. "Thank ye very much, but I'm perfectly fine."

Peter shrugged.

"Since you called me 'your majesty', I presume you know that I am princess Ilene." Ilene said.

"Indeed, your majesty, I figured you must be her because of your blond hair." He answered. Ilene winced at the comment, painfully aware that she stood out next to her siblings.

"So if yah have a message for the royal family, ye can give it to me and I'll take it to them." Ilene told him.

"I think I'd better give it to their majesties, the King and Queen. It is a message of the utmost importance." Peter explained.

"Ye can trust yer message with me."

"I'd better not."

"Oh for goodness sake, I'm the princess, I can be trusted!" Ilene exploded.

"Touchy." Peter commented with a grin.

Ilene smoothed her hair back, and took hold of Mystery's reins. "Very well then, if ye refuse to give me the message than you can ride back with me."

"Not a good idea. They may presume I hurt you myself, being an Englishman and all."

Ilene rolled her eyes. "Yer a strange one."

Peter shrugged again.

"Than what do ye propose to do, Sir Peter?" Ilene demanded. "Wait until I get back and then ride up, denying that ye could have given me the message in the first place and that ye was too chicken to ride with me?"

Peter shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "That does sound a bit silly, I suppose." He admitted.

"You suppose? It sounds ridiculous! Oye! And I thought Merida was impossible!"

Peter looked up sharply at the comment. "Merida? You mean the true Princess, Merida?" he asked.

Ilene stared at him. "What do yah mean, the 'true princess' Merida? Both of us are the princesses. Merida is the oldest one, though, if that's what yah mean."

"So they haven't told you?" Peter said with a sigh, shaking his head. "I suppose it makes sense."

Ilene was taken aback by this comment, and swallowed. "I don't know what yer referring to." She said stonily.

"Never mind, it's all in the message." Peter said, turning to his horse and mounting up. "I suppose I'll ride with you, after all."

"No." Ilene said sharply.

Peter looked at her in surprise. "No?"

"We are not leaving until ye tell me what you meant."

Peter rolled his eyes and shifted in his saddle. "I told you, my dear girl, it's all in the message and I must give it to the King and Queen."

"And I told ye, Sir Peter, that we are _not _leaving until ye tell me what's in the message and what you meant by that comment!" Ilene snapped.

Peter looked down, and then looked up at the sky. "I'll get in trouble for this in England." He muttered.

"No one in England shall find out!"

Peter thought about this. Finally, he shook his head and dismounted. "The message is a verbal one, so do not forget it." He told her sternly. Ilene nodded. Peter continued. "Sent from Lord Edward of London-"

"Lord Edward!" Ilene interrupted, shocked.

"If you want to hear the message, your majesty, I suggest you do not interrupt." Peter said with a glare in her direction.

"Yes yes of course, but _the _Lord Edward? The Lord Edward who tried to take half of Scotland twelve years ago?" Ilene persisted.

"Yes, _that _Lord Edward. Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted." Peter cleared his throat, and recited the message. "Sent from Lord Edward of London, England, to King Fergus DunBroch of Scotland. 'I have found Ilene's parents at last, Fergus. It seems that they died this year in a carriage accident, and have left all of their property to their missing daughter. Ilene must return right away to inherit her property, or risk losing it all. It seems it's time for you to tell her the truth, and hopefully she won't take it too hard. Please leave as soon as you hear this message, I can't keep onto the property forever.' -Lord Edward of England."

Ilene stared at Peter as he finished his message, a thousand thoughts turning in her head as she backed up into her horse.

"It can't be true." She whispered.

Peter looked her over. "If you haven't noticed, child," he said with a slight grin, "You look nothing like you're supposed family."

"It's not true!" Ilene shouted.

"And," Peter continued, mounting up on his horse, "it also explains why they never trained you for marriage like they did your sister."

"Yer lying!" Ilene screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Yer lying!"

"Yes, it seems that even though they claimed you as their daughter, they felt you weren't worthy of the honor of marriage, and thus forth refused you the privileges of betrothal, never intending to marry you because you weren't a true DunBroch." Peter finished, mounting up on his Frisian stallion and yanking it around. "You'd best look inside yourself, _Ilene_, and realize that your whole life has been a lie. Good day."

Peter kicked his Frisian into a canter, and cantered off. Ilene stared off after him until she could not see him, and continued to stand there until she could no longer hear his horse. Then she sat down and sobbed, as memories from dreams she believed were in her head began to make sense and reveal a past she had not known.

* * *

Ilene sat there and cried for nearly forty-five minutes before the sound of a large horse coming at a fast pace prompted her to wipe her eyes and clean up her face. Her hands trembled as she took Mystery's reins in one hand and clumsily mounted up onto the horse just as Merida burst around the corner astride Angus.

"Ilene!" Merida exclaimed, pulling Angus to a stop. "Ilene, are yah alright? What happened? Where have ye been?"

"I'm fine." Ilene replied coldly. "I ran into a branch."

Merida bit her lower lip as she studied her younger sister. Something was definitely not right. "Ilene, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Ilene barked, and tears began to stream down her face. "Just leave me alone, Merida."

Merida was taken aback by Ilene's attitude. Ilene never, _ever _acted like this. _Oh my goodness, is she upset with me because I won the race, and she didn't? _Merida thought frantically.

"Ilene, how did you run into the branch?" Merida asked as Ilene asked Mystery into a trot, riding past Merida and towards the direction of the castle.

"You leapt in front of me, and I pulled Mystery back so I wouldn't run into ye, and I smacked into a branch."

"Oh Ilene!" Merida gasped. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make ye lose the race!"

"Oh for-Merida, that is _not _why I'm upset!" Ilene snapped, turning Mystery so she could face Merida. "I need to get back to the castle, _now_. I have some questions for the King and Queen that I pray they can answer."

With that, Ilene kicked Mystery into a gallop and raced towards the castle. Merida followed suite and asked Angus to follow, disturbed by the change in Ilene's usually pleasant attitude. What could possibly be wrong?

* * *

_So, is Peter lying, or is Ilene really adopted? It would explain why she wasn't prepared for marriage like Merida, or perhaps she was too young and Elinor had her hands full with Merida as it was, not having time to teach Ilene also. What's going on here? Who's telling the truth, and who's lying? Tune in next time for another exciting chapter! ;) _

_ Please review, as a review will get another chapter posted faster!_

_-Shire_


	6. The Truth About Ilene

___I'm back! And with another chapter. Thanks again to Synchronized Harmony for the review, means a lot to me! _

_So, here's the next chapter, I won't tell you to read and review this time so you will do it on your own. ;) Enjoy the chapter!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter six_

The Truth About Ilene

Ilene stormed into the castle, spying Elinor and Fergus among the other Lords. It appeared they were organizing a search party, which Ilene would later realize was for her.

"Ilene!" Elinor exclaimed, rushing over to the girl and hugging her. "Where have ye been? We've been worried sick about you!"

"I must speak to ye and Dad _now_." Ilene stated bluntly. Elinor released Ilene and looked into her eyes, shocked to see a hard and determined look. This wasn't like Ilene at all.

"Ilene dear, are ye alright?"

"Mum, please." Ilene begged, almost in tears.

Elinor turned to Fergus and gestured him towards the upstairs bedrooms. "Very well then, we'll go talk upstairs."

Elinor, Fergus and Ilene were almost at the top of the stairs when Merida rushed in, and, seeing her parents and her sister heading up the stairs, she followed after them.

The Lords MacGuffin, Macintosh and Dingwall watched their King and Queen leave, wondering what on earth that was all about.

* * *

As soon as Elinor shut the door to her and Fergus's room, Ilene turned around and let loose. "Tell me the truth!" she spewed, tears streaming down her face. "Tell me the truth, Mum. I'm adopted, aren't I? Ye and Dad aren't really my Mum and Dad! I was adopted!"

Elinor gasped, and glanced at Fergus, whose eyes widened. Merida stared at her sister, shock written all over her face and a strange memory coming back to her mind that she'd long forgotten.

"Ilene, what are ye-where did ye-why-" Elinor stammered, but Ilene didn't let her finish.

"So it's true!" she wailed, whirling around and pacing as she sobbed. "Ye didn't tell me! Why didn't ye tell me? Why did ye lead me to believe I was a DunBroch when I'm really not!"

"Ilene," Fergus said soothingly, "Who told ye?"

Ilene whirled back to face them, her tears of sorrow now turning to tears of anger. "Peter Willingham!" She spat.

"Peter who?" Elinor asked.

"Peter Willingham!" Ilene repeated. "He was sent by Lord Edward to deliver the message to King Fergus that the daughter he claimed as his own had inherited property in England from her deceased parents, who died this year in a carriage accident!"

"Oh Fergus, she did have a family!" Elinor cried, a stray tear leaving her eye.

Fergus looked down and shook his head with a sigh.

"I want to know me story." Ilene demanded, choking back her sobs. "I want to know who I am and where I came from, and why I was never told of this."

Fergus sighed again, a loud and painful sigh. For the first time Ilene and Merida saw his age, something they didn't consider most of the time.

"Ilene," Fergus began, removing his hat and smoothing his hair, "during the contention between the English and the Scotts twelve years ago, I led an army against one of the Lords of England. His name was Lord Edward. He was a young man then, as was I. During one of our battles, I ended up chasin' him and his band of English men back into their country, and for a while I held a piece of English ground as me own. We camped in a abandoned English town, the villagers having fled when we charged into their land. That night, as I lay in me tent, thinkin' about me wee darling, Merida, and me wife, I heard a baby cryin.' I came out of me tent and searched the grounds, wonderin' where the voice was coming from. Not findin' anything, I went into the nearby forest, determined to find this noisemaker. The cry became louder, and I shined me torch towards a little basket, no doubt left behind by the fleeing village. Inside was a wee young lass, not even a year old. She had hair as golden as the sun, and eyes as blue as the sky. I took her back to me camp, and showed me men. No one knew where she came from, nor what mother would leave their child behind.

Come three days later, Lord Edward returned with a larger army, and chased us back into our land. I had searched for the mother of the lass for days, but we never found anyone. When Lord Edward chased us back into Scotland, he set up a boarder so we could never return. What was I to do, leave the little lassie behind? No, I couldn't do that. Our scuffle was over, Lord Edward had won, and I had to return home to rule me kingdom. So I brought the young lass along. When I returned home, I showed the child to me wife, who immediately got to work taking care of her, for she was a weak little thing. I told me own child, Merida, that I'd brought home a little sister for her, and Merida believed with all her heart that this was her sister. Elinor told me we had to find her family, and we sent a messenger to England to inquire about the child. Our messenger never found out anything, and no one claimed to be missing a child nor had anyone come forth to take the child. Me wife and I decided that the child must be an orphan, and decided to raise her as our own. 'We'll call her Ilene.' Elinor announced. But I was troubled. 'We don't want her to grow up different, Elinor.' I told me wife. 'Nonsense, we'll raise her as our own child. If she is an orphan no one shall ever have to know.' We never thought anyone would claim ye. We planned on telling ye on someday, so ye could choose if ye wanted to stay in Scotland or return to yer people in England. We hadn't realized ye had a family, Ilene. They never came for ye." Fergus looked up at Ilene with loving eyes, seeing the hurt and betrayal in hers. "And that is yer story, Ilene."

Merida glanced at her parents, and she could see they were sorry they'd waited to tell Ilene. Within herself, she couldn't believe the story she'd just heard, yet at the same time she half remembered it. She would have been only three years old, yet she remembered when Fergus had shown her the baby, telling her that it was her sister. Turning her gaze to Ilene, Merida saw a look she'd never seen in Ilene's eyes before.

She was hurt, it was obvious. She felt betrayed, let down, and lied to. Yet worst of all, she looked angry.

"So that's why, then." She whispered. "That's why ye never trained me like Merida, because I wasn't _worthy _of betrothal!"

Elinor shook her head, more tears falling. But she didn't say anything.

"I wondered for years why I wasn't taught and trained like Merida!" Ilene said between sobs, wiping the tears from her eyes and yet scowling hideously at the same time. "I wondered, 'perhaps I'm not good enough? Maybe I'm not smart enough.' I wondered why ye didn't teach me public speaking, nor ever speak to me like you did to Merida on the subject of marriage. I wondered why ye didn't spend so much time with me, and I was envious of Merida, even though she hated it all. I wanted ye to see I was as good as her, but you continued to teach Merida and leave me in the dark, not knowing what I'd done wrong! Well now I know! I'm not worthy of such a thing, because I'm not a DunBroch! I'm not of your _royal _blood, but have the heritage of a commoner! And all this time I thought it was because I wasn't good enough, and now I know. I'm not! Well then, if that's how ye feel about it, then maybe I don't want to _be_ a _DunBroch_!"

Ilene whirled around and rushed out the door, slamming it behind her. "Ilene!" Elinor shouted to her, crying tears of deep sorrow. "Ilene, please, come back!"

Fergus wrapped his arms around her as she turned and cried in his shoulder. "Oh, the poor, poor child." She cried.

Merida stood there in stony silence, not sure what to think of everything she'd just witnessed. Ilene was not her sister, and her parents hadn't denied the reasons why they hadn't trained her in the ways of a lady like Merida.

Merida walked over and hugged her Mum, and Elinor hugged her tightly back. "Mum," Merida said, choking back her own cries, "It's not true, is it? You had other reasons for not teaching her the way you taught me, right?"

"Oh my wee darling, I'm afraid it is. I'm afraid it is." Elinor wept.

Merida held her mother for a little bit more, than withdrew and walked towards her room in a daze. All this time Ilene hadn't been her sister. And all this time she hadn't realized how much Ilene had envied her, _her_, Merida, for her lessons in being a lady and her preparations for betrothal. Ilene knew that Merida had always been jealous of her, but Merida had never realized that Ilene had felt that way towards Merida. _How could I have not seen it? _Merida wondered as she opened the door to her room. There was Ilene, lying on her bed and crying her heart out.

Merida stood there for a second, than closed the door behind her. For the first time in her life, Merida didn't know how to comfort Ilene. For years Merida had always been the strong one, taking care of Ilene and telling her not to worry when Ilene grew scared during a storm or when Ilene had been bucked off a horse and was afraid to get back on. Merida had always comforted her when Ilene had been sad, like the time when Mystery's foal had died. Ilene had cried for days, and Merida had been right alongside her, crying with her and trying to make things easier for her.

Now here she was, and she didn't know what to say. Merida stood there uncomfortably, watching as Ilene continued to cry. She had no doubt Ilene knew she was there, but she didn't acknowledge her.

After standing there for about two minutes, Merida walked over to Ilene's bed and sat down. "Oh, Ilene." Was all she could say.

"Oh Merida, oh, Merida!" Ilene cried, her face buried in her pillow. "All this time, I wondered why I was different. And now I know. We're not even sisters! Hamish, Harris and Hubert aren't me brothers! And Mum and Dad aren't me Mum and Dad! I am the offspring of the enemy, the rival's child, the adversary's daughter. I am English! Hated by all Scotsmen!"

"Just because you're English doesn't make me like you any less." Merida offered.

"I was brought up thinkin' the English were to be held with contempt, that they were nasty snobs and hated all Scotsmen. And now I find I am one!"

Merida lay down on the bed with Ilene and put her arm around her. Ilene turned to her and hugged her, sobbing.

"Ilene," Merida said quietly, tears falling from her own eyes, "Ye will always, _always_ be me sister. I don't care if yer an Englishman's daughter, yer my sister, forever and ever."

Ilene wiped away her tears and let a faint smile cross her face. "And ye will always be mine, Merida. But we shall never be sisters by blood like before."

Merida knew exactly what she meant: they'd never look at each other the same again.

* * *

_Oh, poor Ilene! I feel so bad for her! She's just realized she's not a DunBroch, and that everything the messenger had said was true! And the worst part is she's English, which, if you've read Scottish/English history, the Scots didn't like the English and the English didn't like the Scots. I think it was against Scotland that the English had the 100 year war with, but I am not completely sure about that. :) _

_I'll post another chapter when I receive another review! And I will NOT tell you to read and review, so you can do it on your own. ;)  
_

_-Shire  
_


	7. Leaving

_Okay, here's the next chapter! Thank you Nie for the review! I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far. As to if there will be an emotional conversation between Ilene and Elinor, you'll just have to wait and see what happens. :) Thanks again for the review! I appreciate it very much!_

_So, once more I'll post the next chapter when I recieve one review. Hope that keeps you all sitting on your hands anxiously, awaiting the next chapter! ;)_

_Thanks for reading everyone! Hope you enjoy this next chapter!_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

* * *

_Chapter seven_

Leaving

Merida woke up in the middle of the night, and she felt alone.

She had stayed with Ilene for another hour, and together they reminisced their innocence as children, remembering when the triplets were born, remembering when they got Mystery and Angus, remembering their first sighting of Mo'rdu, remembering when Merida had received her bow and Ilene had been given her sword. They even laughed as they remembered how clumsy they'd been when they'd first started practicing with their new weapons.

"Ye couldn't hit the broadside of a barn." Ilene had teased.

"And ye!" Merida exclaimed. "Yer swordsmanship was terrible! Ye could hardly lift the thing up!"

But when dinner rolled around, Ilene refused to go downstairs to face Elinor and Fergus. "I'm not hungry." She stated. Merida could see the anger in her eyes, and knew that it would take a while to heal the hurt they'd caused. So Merida went to dinner alone, and had to endure the young Lords flirting with her once more. Elinor and Fergus did their best to entertain the guests, but everyone had heard one way or another about the confession with Ilene. To Merida's surprise, Lord MacGuffin, Lord Macintosh and Lord Dingwall weren't the least surprised that Ilene wasn't a DunBroch. Than Merida realized that they'd been there with Fergus when they'd chased the English into England, and were there when Fergus had brought Ilene home and had proclaimed her as his own daughter.

After the meal, Elinor had gone up to see Ilene. Merida had stayed behind, for the feast had been held in her honor for winning the _Four Clans Cup_, and therefore she had to thank all the attendants and make a speech of dedication for her winning the race.

Merida hadn't even finished when she'd spied Elinor coming back down the stairs, and she could see her mother had been crying again. Merida quickly hurried up the speech, and then raced up to her room. Ilene stood at the window, staring out at the Scottish countryside.

"Ilene?" Merida had said timidly.

Ilene turned to her, that hard look still in her eyes. "She thinks she can just come in an' apologize, and that will make it all better!" Ilene had scoffed.

Merida was shocked. That sounded like something _she _would have said! _Did I really sound that mean? _She thought to herself.

"Ilene, she just wants to make things right." Merida told her.

"Well, it's a little too late for that."

"Ilene!" Merida exclaimed. "How can ye, the one who used to tell _me _that half of my problem with Mum was me own fault, talk about Mum that way?"

"Easy fer you to say, yer her _real _daughter. I am but a commoner that yer Mum and Dad took pity on."

Merida could see no amount of talking was going to help Ilene, and she wasn't sure how to answer that statement anyways. So she left the matter alone and got ready for an early bedtime. Ilene did the same, and they went to bed without saying a word to each other.

Now Merida lay in her bed, staring up at the stone ceiling. Something wasn't right.

Merida sat up, and glanced at Ilene's bed. Empty.

At first Merida thought that perhaps she'd gone downstairs to get something to eat (after all, she had skipped dinner) but than her heart skipped a beat as she saw that Ilene's sword and sheath was missing. She was going to run.

Merida leapt out of bed and dressed quickly, threw on her cloak and grabbed her bow and quiver, then ran out of her room quietly and raced out into the night.

It was cold, and Merida guessed it was under thirty-two degrees. She ran towards the stalls, and to her dismay she saw Mystery was already gone.

Quickly Merida tacked up Angus, and leapt on, asking him to walk until they were out of the castle grounds so they wouldn't wake anyone up. It was only two in the morning, and any disturbance would cause everyone to wake up, and they'd tell her to stay here instead of going after Ilene.

Once they were out of the castle grounds though, Merida urged Angus to run as fast as he could, hoping that with his keen sense of smell he'd smell the Shire mare and run towards her.

Angus and Merida raced through the forest, and it took Merida a while to realize she was following the same path they'd taken on the race earlier today. They crossed the river, and continued past Mo'rdu Rock, treading deeper and deeper into the forest.

About twenty minutes later Angus let out a whinny, and charged after a large black object with a rider on top.

"Ilene!" Merida called out, catching up with the blond girl and her horse. "Ilene, what are ye doing?"

Ilene whoaed Mystery and turned the horse to face Merida. Merida could see she'd been crying again.

"Oh Merida, I hoped you'd wake up so I could say goodbye." Ilene choked.

"What do you mean, 'goodbye'? Yer not leavin', are yah?" Merida demanded. Ilene nodded her head. "Ilene, you can't leave!" Merida protested. "What would Mum and Dad think? They'd be worried sick about yah!"

"Yer Mum and Dad aren't _my _Mum and Dad, Merida. I have-or had, is more like it-a Mum and Dad who worried about me, too. Do you remember me dream, Merida? I think the man who called me to him was me father. And now he is dead, and I will never get to meet him."

"Than why are ye leavin' if yer parents are dead and you have live ones here? Please, Ilene, come back with me."

Ilene shook her head. "Merida, even if my parents are dead, I need to know me story. I'm going to England to see Lord Edward. It was he who sent the message, telling yer Dad that he was to return me so I could claim me property. Don't you see? Me dream held the key, 'Lord Edward knows who I am.' All this time I was dreaming a part of me past. I _have _to go to England, I _have _to know who me parents were, and who I am. I have to know why me parents never came for me, and why my father had a strange accent in me dream. I have to know Merida, I must know."

Merida bit her lower lip as she saw the determination in the twelve-year-old girl before her. Nothing Merida said was going to stop her, and she could see that now. It reminded her of when Ilene had scolded her for getting the spell from the witch, 'to change Mum.' She'd said. 'Ye can't change Mum, Merida!' Ilene had cried. 'Mum is Mum! That would be like changing ye! It's impossible!' Even so, Merida had tried. And her mother had turn into a big black bear. But inside, she hadn't changed at all. She only realized where she'd gone wrong. Merida, too, during those two hectic days, realized how wrong she'd been to rebel against her Mum and how blind she'd been not to see that her Mum had done everything out of love for her. Even though Elinor had been wrong to try to change Merida into her, Merida saw that she was only trying to do what was best for her, even though she didn't know that what was best for her was to let her grow up a couple more years before marriage.

And now here she was, now in the position of her mother as she stared at the girl she'd once called her sister. Ilene would go anyways, that was obvious, but she had a choice. And she had to make it now.

Merida glanced back in the direction of the castle, then back at Ilene. Ilene was waiting to go, and it was obvious she was impatient. And so Merida decided.

"Ilene," she said finally, "I'll let ye go to England on one condition. I'm comin' with ye."

"What!" Ilene exclaimed. "But Merida, ye can't! You have Mum and Dad and the triplets! Ye can't leave them!"

"Ilene, if ye can turn yer back on the family that raised ye, than I can travel with me sister to make sure she arrives safely in England and make sure she will have a good life there."

Ilene looked towards the ground, her conscience pricked by Merida's comment. But she was still determined to go.

"Ye don't have to do this, Merida." She said quietly.

"Aye, I do Ilene. Ye are my sister, even if not by blood." Merida said with a sad smile.

Ilene smiled back. "I would feel better having ye along, but who would take ye back home to Scotland?"

"Well, if this all works out, I'm sure we'll find someone who's on their way there that I can travel with." Merida told her. Ilene leaned forward and clasped Merida's hand.

"Thank you, Merida." She whispered.

Merida gazed into Ilene's eyes and held her hand tightly. "Sister mine you'll always be,"

"Even on the stormy sea," Ilene picked up.

"And even though we can't always see," Merida continued.

"The path that lies ahead of thee," Ilene added. Then they said the last line together, "Sister mine you'll always be."

Merida and Ilene hugged each other tightly, than gathered their reins and trotted south, towards Ilene's newly discovered homeland. Who knew what lay ahead, but now all that mattered was the fact that they were together, and no matter what, sister mine they'd always be.

* * *

_This scene almost made my cry when I first wrote it. It still almost makes me cry, when I read it! :D Anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review, have a wonderful weekend and if you have snow, go out and enjoy it! Sorry, couldn't resist that last part. I love snow, and I'm enjoying mine! :D See you one review later!_

_-Shire _


	8. The River Crossing

_Well I'm back again for the next chapter! Thank you Synchronized Haromony and Nie for the reviews! You two are amazing! :D And Nie: as far as the witch goes in my stories, she will have a small part to play in the sequel to this story. I'm afraid though I won't be able to use your idea, thanks for the mention of it anyways. The witch has a different role to play in my stories, so I don't think that would work. :) Thanks for the idea, though! :D_

_Okay, so, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it, and please review!_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

* * *

_Chapter Eight_

The River Crossing

There was no doubt in Merida and Ilene's minds that winter was going to come early this year. A fresh blanket of snow fell five days after they'd left, and the girls' teeth chattered as they fumbled around to build a fire.

"It's a good thing we brought our heavy coats." Ilene commented as they sat around the fire, warming their hands. Mystery and Angus were pawing the ground, looking for grass to eat.

"I wish ye weren't so stubborn and we were back at the castle." Merida complained as she grabbed her shoulders, shivering.

"Merida, yer bein' the stubborn one, remember? It was ye who insisted on comin' with me." Ilene reminded her.

"Aye, but it was ye who insisted on leaving in the first place! I wasn't just going to abandon you and let ye go out here alone!" Merida exclaimed.

"And I am grateful to ye, more than you'll ever know." Ilene assured her. "I can't imagine travelin' alone. I'm glad ye came along."

England was still another hundred and fifty miles off, even after traveling twenty miles a day. Never before had Merida thought about the messengers they sent to the neighboring country, and now she realized how much they'd taken them for granted, often complaining about how long they took to get to England.

"Just think Merida, in another week and a half we'll be in England." Ilene murmured as she saddled up Mystery for the day's ride.

"Aye, we'll be in England, but ye must remember that Lord Edward lives in London. We'll have another hundred miles to travel."

"I haven't forgotten."

Merida stood up and caught up Angus, and began tacking him up. The night Ilene had left; Merida hadn't had enough time to pack her horse up with provisions for their journey. She had, though, remembered to grab a pouch of money, and they'd already used it twice to buy foodstuff in two villages they'd passed through. Ilene had packed Mystery up with all of the cloths she owned, as well as a sack full of flour and provisions, enough for one person's journey to England. Her sword she'd strapped to her side, and she'd also brought along her bow, though in an emergency she would have picked the sword over the bow. Merida had brought along her sword too, and of course her trusted bow and quiver full of arrows were slung across her shoulder, where she could grab them at a second's notice if there was danger. Merida counted on her senses and eye-hand coordination in a dangerous situation, Ilene counted on her reflexes and blinding fast action to help her out of a scrap. Put both of their talents together, and they felt fairly confident they could hold their own if the need aroused.

"Merida, are ye ready?" Ilene asked, already mounted up on Mystery, who was rearing to go, so to speak.

Merida nodded as she finished tacking up Angus, rechecked his cinch to make sure it was tight enough, and mounted the Clydesdale. "Let's go."

The girls asked their horses into a slow trot, glancing back at the ashes of their campfire. They were going to miss its warmth today as they rode along in the twenty-nine degree weather.

* * *

It was the very next day when the girls got their first taste of danger. It had started when they'd reached a river, the name unknown to them.

"It looks deep." Merida said thoughtfully as she gazed at the rushing waters. It didn't look at all as friendly as the river back home, but like a monster waiting to gobble up anyone brave (or perhaps a better word was foolish) enough to try to cross it.

"Let's ride down river and see if there's a better spot than this to cross." Ilene suggested, shifting in the saddle as she bit her lower lip, troubled at the height of the water.

"Sounds good." Merida agreed. They turned Angus and Mystery downriver and trotted alongside the bank, looking for a safe place to cross. It was about two miles later that they found a spot that looked safer than any they'd seen so far.

"What do ye think, Merida? Shall we cross here or shall we continue lookin'?" Ilene asked.

Merida looked at the far bank, than looked back at the water. By far this was a better spot than all the rest, but it still looked dangerous.

"What do ye think, Ilene?" Merida said at last.

"Yer the oldest, Merida." Ilene muttered. Merida gave her a sideways look.

"That never stopped ye before from tellin' me what to do!" she snorted.

"Aye, but that was when you were acting foolish an'all, and yer stubbornness got in the way of yer common sense!"

"That describes this journey you've undertaken perfectly." Merida retorted. Ilene didn't answer. Merida sighed and shook her head. "Very well then, if we don't cross here we'll never find a suitable place in time before dark. I say we go ahead and try this one."

"Sounds reasonable."

"Alright then, who shall go first?"

Ilene glanced down at Mystery, who was drinking water from the bank, pausing now and then to splash it with her nose. "I suppose Mystery and I will. Mystery's fine with water."

Merida nodded. "And we both know how Angus is. He'll only cross it if there's another horse in front of him!"

"What a wee babe." Ilene laughed. She clucked to Mystery, who lifted her head up from the river and stepped into the water. "Come on lass, let's get a move on." Ilene told the horse, squeezing with her heels. Mystery splashed into the water and started heading for the other bank.

Angus, terrified that his stall mate was leaving him, neighed to Mystery, than plunged into the water after her. This of course caused great splashes, soaking Merida up to her thighs. "Oh Angus!" Merida groaned.

"From the tone of yer voice I'm guessin' Angus pulled off his water plunge again." Ilene called back.

"That he did. And he got me wet up to me thighs!"

Ilene giggled, and turned back to say something to Merida. That was her mistake. Her movement threw Mystery off balance, who at the same moment Ilene had turned had slipped. The horse fell sideways into the river, thrashing and kicking her legs as the current swept horse and rider downstream.

"Ilene!" Merida shrieked, pushing Angus faster into the water, trying to get him to swim after the blond girl and black horse. "Ilene!"

Ilene and Mystery completely disappeared under the surface of the water as the current began to get faster. Merida realized that if she were to push Angus into the deep end that she, too, would be swept downriver, and therefore would be no use in a rescue. She had to think fast!

Merida glanced around wildly, and spied the other bank. "Hyaa!" she shouted, and kicked Angus towards the other side of the river. Angus swam for the shore, and trotted onto the dry ground. Jerking his reins around, she urged him into a gallop, racing him alongside the edge of the stream as she galloped to catch up with the fast currents.

For a second, Ilene and Mystery popped up from the roaring river, Ilene holding onto the Shire mare for dear life as the horse continued to struggle against the full-force of the river. "Merida!" she screamed. "Help me!" then she went under again.

"Ilene! I'm coming!"

Merida urged Angus as fast as she dared, for the ground was still slippery from the light snowfall of yesterday. But she had to catch up to them!

There they were again, only this time Ilene only had a hold on Mystery's reins. Merida's heart skipped a beat, realizing that if Ilene and the horse went under again, Mystery would kick Ilene in an attempt to get back to the surface! "Ilene!" Merida screeched. "Keep her head up!"

It was useless to yell, Merida knew, for Ilene couldn't hear her above the raging waters. But it made Merida feel better all the same.

Angus and her were close enough to Mystery and Ilene that Merida now had to think on how she was going to get them out water. First off, she had to get past them, and second off, she had to give them something to grab onto. But what!?

Before Merida could think anymore of a plan, something flashed by her as a horse and rider threw a rope towards the young girl and large horse. "Grab on!" the rider shouted.

Ilene grabbed the rope as it passed in front of her with one hand, still holding onto Mystery's reins with the other, who was fighting her way towards the shore. Merida pulled Angus to a stop as the stranger pulled his horse in, backing it up as they strained against the rope.

"I need your help!" the stranger shouted at Merida. "Grab the rope and _pull_!"

Merida drove Angus in the direction of the rope and grabbed it, pulling with all her might. Ilene held onto Mystery's reins and the rope, slowly guiding the horse towards the shore as the struggle to survive continued. "Pull harder!" the stranger yelled.

"I'm pulling as hard as I can!" Merida snapped back. Angus and the stranger's horse backed up as they strained against the rope, slowly but surely pulling Ilene and Mystery in. Suddenly, it was all over, as Mystery reached solid ground and raced out of the water, Ilene holding onto her head, her legs wrapped around the horse's neck as she hung on for fear of falling. When Mystery reached the bank, she stopped, and Ilene let herself drop.

"Ilene!" Merida cried, letting go of the rope and leaping off of Angus, running towards the twelve-year-olds' side. "Ilene are you alright?"

Ilene lay there, coughing and spewing out water. Merida took hold of her and gently helped her sit up. "Wow." Ilene said between coughs. "I never thought I'd be doin' _that_!"

Merida stared at Ilene, and burst out laughing. "Ilene! You just nearly drowned and the only thing yah think about is the fact that's yer first _time _being swept downriver? Honestly!"

Ilene joined in laughing, but soon defected back to coughing. "Oye, I'm cold." She gasped.

Merida helped her stand up, and she took off her cloak and put it on Ilene. "We'd better make a fire for ye and get yah warm." Merida soothed.

They turned around, and Merida realized she'd forgotten about the stranger.

He sat upon his Frisian horse, watching the two girls with keen interest. "This is the second time I've come across you in distress, my dear." He said to Ilene with a smile, his brown eyes twinkling. "Is this a habit of yours or something?"

Ilene stared at him, her face going from shock to recognition, and then anger. "Peter Willingham!"

* * *

_Whew! That was a close one! Ilene could have died! But she didn't. (Of course!) :D And now Peter Willingham, the messenger, has shown up again. What is he going to do? :) You will find out soon!_

_Anyways, I shall post the next chapter one review later! Have a great weekend everyone!_

_-Shire_


	9. To England

_Okidoki! Here's the next chapter! I'm REALLY sorry to inform you about this, but our computer died last night while I was using it, and so I can't promise I'll be updating whenever I receive a review. Sorry about that! Hopefully it will be fixed soon! The thing is, all the changes I made in the story were on that computer that broke, so if something doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll remember to change it!_

_So, hope you enjoy this chapter, thanks to Nie and Synchronized Harmony for the reviews, and hopefully I'll update soon!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter Nine_

To England

"Good to see you too, _Ilene_." Peter replied in a slight mocking tone, dismounting from his stallion.

"You shall address a princess of DunBroch properly!" Merida snorted, not sure who this Peter person was, but disliking him all the same.

"Yes, your majesty." He bowed to Merida.

"Not I!" Merida groaned. "Princess Ilene!"

"That I shan't do." Peter replied, crossing his arms. "Ilene is not a princess, and therefore I shall not honour her has one."

"Why you-" Merida began, but Ilene grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"It's alright Merida. He's the one who brought the message." Ilene gave him a sharp look, to which he returned with a fake pleasant smile. "Though I can't say I thank ye."

"You should. I am the one who brought you the message of truth."

"No, you were merely _sent _with the message of truth by Lord Edward. Therefore you can't take credit for it." Ilene growled.

Peter shrugged. "You can at least thank me for saving your life, my dear."

"That I shall thank ye for, and I owe you me life."

Peter nodded, pleased. "So what brings you two out into the Scottish wilderness?" he asked casually, leaning against his horse. Peter's horse pinned it's ears, and moved sideways, almost causing Peter to fall over, and definitely causing a fit of giggles from the two girls. Peter rolled his eyes. "Are you going to answer me or not?"

"I am on my way to England to claim me property." Ilene told him. "Though it really isn't any of yer business."

"And what about you, your majesty? Why are you traveling with a girl who isn't even your sister, when you could be back at home with your family?"

"Yer treadin' on dangerous waters, Willingham." Merida warned.

"Merida is me escort." Ilene explained, much to Merida's annoyance. "She's on diplomatic duty."

Merida shot Ilene a glance, to which Ilene gave her a slight smile. _Diplomatic duty? _

Peter was also taken back by this statement, and looked Merida over once more. "You're a little young to be a diplomat, aren't you?" he asked curiously.

"Ye have to start somewhere." Merida stated airily. Ilene giggled.

Peter looked from one girl to the other, wondering if these young ladies were pulling his leg.

"Well," he said at last, "I am on my way back to England, so I shall bid you farewell, and safe traveling." He turned to mount onto his horse, who stepped away from him and threatened to kick him. "Nice horse." Peter grumbled, jerking on the reins and throwing himself onto the horse's back. The Frisian bucked, and sent Peter flying off.

This was too much for Merida and Ilene, and they burst out laughing.

"Yer not much of a rider, are you Mr. Willingham?" Merida chuckled.

"I have half the mind to teach you girls a lesson!" he snarled as he picked himself off the ground, dusting his pants off.

"There's two of us and only one of ye, I don't think that would go very well." Ilene said, grinning.

Peter glared at them, and grabbed the reins of his horse.

"Do ye need someone to help ye mount up?" Merida asked sweetly. Ilene fell over, laughing so hard her sides hurt.

"Very funny. Very funny indeed. Well I'll tell you what, your parents are doing a fine job in raising you to be typical unlearned illiterate shtupid barbarian Scotswomen! Fine job indeed!"

Peter mounted up onto his horse, this time keeping a tight rein on the stallion so he couldn't put his head down and buck. "Well, I won't miss you two at all. Good day, your majesty. Good day, _Ilene_."

And with that he turned around and cantered off, the entire time holding in the reins so the Frisian wouldn't buck him off.

Ilene and Merida watched him go, and even with his nasty comment lingering in the air, they still fell into a fit of giggles as the Englishman rode off.

"Typical Englishman." Merida snickered. "Full of pride, arrogance and stupidity." Ilene stopped laughing, and Merida glanced sideways at her. Her once cheerful attitude quickly became sober, and Merida wondered what was wrong. "What?"

Typical Englishman." Ilene repeated. "I suppose that means me father's that way."

Merida felt a pang of guilt, and tried to console her once-sister. "I'm sure he's a good man, Ilene. I just meant-I just-well, I…" Merida trailed off, knowing she was doing more harm and than good. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that at'all."

"I know Merida. I know." Ilene said quietly. She shivered.

"We'd best set up camp for the night." Merida sighed, and helped Ilene pull the saddles off and hobble the horses. They found that their flour was utterly wasted from the water damage done to it by the river, but the fish they'd bought were still good, and they cooked the rest of them up.

"Merida." Ilene said suddenly, as they ate their meal in silence. "Do ye suppose that me own people won't accept me? I am without an English accent. I have the Scotsman's accent, and it may very well be I'll stick out like a fish out of water."

Merida had secretly been wondering this herself, but had remained quiet, knowing Ilene would just think she'd brought it up to convince her to come home. "I don't know, Ilene. They may not believe ye _are _the daughter of an Englishman."

"Oh, they'll believe me. If Lord Edward sent for me so I could inherit me property, than he obviously knows me." Ilene said decisively.

"Ilene, did ye ever consider that Lord Edward isn't going to be too happy to see you and I?" Merida asked. "We-at least I, am the child of DunBroch, his old rival. And ye are DunBroch's adopted child!"

"Every Englishman is a rival with one Scotsman or another." Ilene grunted.

"Aye, but from Dad's stories both Lord Edward and he weren't yer typical rivals-they fought battles against each other! Did ye ever consider the fact that Lord Edward could have sent for ye just because he wanted to tear Dad apart, and that there is no property?"

Ilene chewed on her dinner thoughtfully, taking in everything Merida said. "Believe it or not, I did consider that." She said at last.

"Than why are ye continuing on this foolish mission?" Merida exclaimed.

"Merida, during the summer you were determined not to be married. You fought and struggled to change yer fate, and you were brave enough to challenge it. But you yerself said that fighting your fate _was _your fate, you were already allotted that. It had already been written out in yer story, you just hadn't realized it yet. Well, me own fate awaits me. It is my turn to be brave enough to challenge my fate, though I suppose in my book that too was written down. I will not stop until I find out who I am, and who me parents were. I have to know, Merida. I have to. I have to know who the two men were in me dream, and Lord Edward can tell me. He may have lied to get me to come to England, but he was in me dream, and he holds the key to me past. I have to talk to him, I _must _talk to him. That is why I journey to England. Not for me inheritance, but for me past."

Merida sat there in deep concentration. How Ilene sounded like her this summer-determined to change her fate. Except Ilene was determined to _find _her fate, not change it. Ilene was set in stone to find out who her parents were, why they'd abandoned her, and why they hadn't come for her. Merida couldn't imagine any of her history benefiting her at all; rather she could see it tearing her to pieces. Yet this was Ilene's choice, and this was what she wanted. Nothing she would say would change her mind, and Ilene must face her own consequences.

"Merida, yer not angry with me, are yah?" Ilene asked, interrupting Merida's thoughts.

"A little." Merida admitted. "I can't understand why ye can turn yer back on the only family you knew for parents that aren't even alive anymore."

Ilene shook her head. "You would do the same thing Merida, admit it." She challenged.

"That is probably true." Merida agreed. "But I don't think I'd be as eager as you to leave me family behind."

"I'm not eager to leave them behind! Merida, they were the only family I knew, they _were _my family! But now I find out that everything I believed was a lie, and that me real family is dead. Who wouldn't go back to their homeland to find the truth after a shock like that? And besides, did ye ever think of the possibility I might have siblings?"

Merida hadn't thought about that. "If you did, why didn't _they _inherit the property?" she demanded.

Ilene shrugged. "Perhaps I'm the oldest."

"If that's the case all yer siblings are in an orphanage, for if ye were the oldest, they'd be younger than twelve."

"Well maybe I have older siblings, but they weren't interested in the property."

"That would mean it is no good, Ilene."

"I don't care about the property, Merida. I care about me past. Who knows, maybe I have cousins, or uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews. _I don't know._ What I do know is that I am going to find out."

Merida shook her head. "Yah know, I never thought of ye as a stubborn one, but I'm beginning to think you may be more stubborn than meself."

Ilene couldn't help but grin at that.

* * *

The journey to the English boarder took shorter than Ilene had predicted, and the girls arrived in a week instead of a week and a half. Between the time when Ilene fell into the river to where they were now, they'd passed through three more rivers, climbed two small mountains and had seen their first bear. Luckily the bear wasn't interested in them and lumbered away, but not before Ilene and Merida had drawn their weapons, tensely waiting for the beast to charge.

"If that had been Mo'rdu he would have been on us in a heartbeat." Ilene observed as she put her sword back in its sheath.

"Aye, but Mo'rdu is dead, and there are no more monsters to be seen in the woods of Scotland." Merida assured her.

"Until yet another fool goes to the witch for a spell, demanding she give him strength, power or rugged good looks." Ilene said slyly. They both laughed, remembering when they heard of young Lord Wee Dingwall's visit to the witch, where he promptly ran out after he heard the story of how Mo'rdu had become Mo'rdu. No one had to worry about _him _trying to get a spell, he was so terrified of that witch he had apparently ran into the door several times before the witch had to show him the way out was to _pull_, not _push_.

"I would have loved to see his face." Merida commented.

"That would have been a sight." Ilene agreed.

The bear encounter had happened two days before, and now Merida and Ilene sat atop their horses at the boarder of England, staring down at two spears pointed in _their _direction. "What's your business in England?" one of the border guards asked suspiciously. Apparently then English had been having brawls with the Scots again, and had ordered guards posted at the border to prevent any more trouble with the rebels.

"We are here because me sis-_friend_, here, has received a notice from Lord Edward of London to return to England immediately so she may inherit her property." Merida told them.

"Let's see the notice." The other guard grunted.

"It was a verbal message." Ilene said quickly. "We didn't get it on paper."

"Well then, I suppose you ain't gonna visit England than." The first guard said with a yawn.

"Please me good man, we've traveled an awful long way, and I have to see Lord Edward!" Ilene pleaded.

"When you get a message on paper, _then _we'll let you in."

Ilene sighed in exasperation, and turned to Merida.

"I suppose we'll just have to go home." Merida said slowly. Ilene gave her a sharp look, and turned to the guards.

"M'Lords," she said respectfully, catching the guards' attention, who had probably never been referred to as _Lord_. "I have traveled from afar to come to yer fair country, not for a vacation, but to find me family. I was orphaned at a young age, and taken in by a nice Scottish family, not realizing I'd been adopted. Now I find out that I am not really part of my family, and discover that me own family had died in a terrible carriage accident, leaving me a _real _orphan. With tears in me eyes I listened to the message sent to me by the good Lord Edward, who beckoned me to come back to me homeland and receive my inheritance. Wouldn't you know? Wouldn't you know that I had dreamt that Lord Edward was the key to me past! He knew who I was, and who my family was. So we began our traveling. For two weeks, we rode our horses, tired every night and hungry, having little food to spare as we shivered in the cold. We nearly drowned in a river, a bear tried to kill us and we barely managed to escape, and a ruffian attempted to kidnap us and hold us for random. Now we have finally made it to the borders of yer beautiful country, and are informed we shall not be let in. Oh, how I'd wanted to find me history, to know who I was, to give myself a real name! How disappointing that I shall never be accepted into your peace-loving country, and that two such fine gentlemen as yerself would turn me back! Come Merida, there's no use arguing with these men anymore. They have a job to do, and they're doing it well."

Ilene turned Mystery around, gesturing for Merida to follow. Merida could only swallow her shock and cue Angus to follow her sister.

"Wait!" one of the guards called out. The girls turned their horses around, and the guard faced his partner.

"They're only young ladies, Edgar."

The guard named Edgar looked at them doubtfully. "I dunno, they're fully capable of causing trouble, Edmond, and we'd be the ones to blame for it."

"Edgar, they're practically children!"

Edgar glanced them over, and sighed. "Very well then girls, you are permitted to pass."

"Oh thank ye you wonderful, kind sirs!" Ilene exclaimed, trotting Mystery towards them. "How shall I ever repay you?" before they could answer Ilene reached into her supply sack and brought out ten gold coins, handing five to each guard. "Thank you ever so." She said gently. The guards were pleased with their treasure, and quickly pocketed it.

"Alright, off ya go!" they ordered, pretending to be gruff, but their faces showing their great pleasure. It was obvious what Ilene had paid them was far more than they'd ever been paid in their life.

Merida and Ilene bid them thanks, and rode through the checkpoint. As soon as they were out of hearing range Merida whirled Angus around to face Ilene.

"What kind of story was _that_?" she exclaimed. "That bear never charged us, and we never met up with any ruffians! You made it sound like we'd nearly been killed a hundred times over!"

Ilene laughed, grinning widely as she faced the redhead girl. "Merida, we did meet up with a bear." She told her. "And Peter was as close to a ruffian as ye could get. I just exaggerated the details a little. I knew the guards would feel sorry for two, 'poor little girls,' and I was right!"

Merida rolled her eyes and couldn't help but laugh. "I'm going to have to try that someday."

Ilene turned Mystery back to the path they were on, and stared towards the horizon. A little town could be seen about fifteen miles away from where they were. "Well Merida, welcome to England."

* * *

_They, have arrived. :D So now Merida and Ilene are in England, and they must now travel onto London to find Lord Edward, the one man who knows of Ilene's past. :)_

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review, and I will post as soon as it's possible!  
_

_-Shire  
_


	10. Lord Edward's Mansion

_Horray! My father and my brother were able to fix the computer, and it works now! :D Thank you Nie, Synchronized Harmony and Orgiami-Pegasus for the reviews! To answer some questions you all put forward..._

_Nie: I actually don't have a chapter about Fergus and Elinor conversing back at the castle. I learned in writing class that I really should stick to one perspective throughout the story, but I already break the rules a little and switch perspectives here and there, and therefore I actually don't switch back to Fergus and Elinor until way later. Hopefully you'll like these next chapters all the same. :D_

_Orgiami-Pegasus: Wow, how can I answer all those questions you had? I am honored by the long review you left me, and thank you for going to all that trouble to correct my story. I will definitly take into consideration your suggestions, and I will try to correct more of my grammer in the future chapters. :) To answer a few of your questions: _

_Draft Horses are the type of horses that pull carts and wagons, yes. But it doesn't always mean that they're strictly used for that. Draft Horses simply means the heavy breed of horses, and that is what Merida had in the movie. Clydesdales are classified as draft horses, as are Frisians, Percherons, Shires, Sulfolk Punch, Gypsy Vanners and several other horse breeds. Angus was a black Clydesdale, and therefore is a draft horse, also known as heavy horse, coldblooded horse, drought horse and a couple of other names. I'm a horse trainer, so any horsemanship I have put into my stories I can testify as my own personal experience and knowledge, having dealt with several horses and several different breeds of horses. :)_

_Concerning your question about Ilene acting wise and giving good advice: believe it or not, Ilene said exactly what my younger sister would have said to me if I were Merida. So I pulled that conversation out of my own experience with my younger sister. Now, if I were Ilene, I probably wouldn't have said anything until Merida started accusing me, than I would have gotten angry. I suppose to each their own, eh? :)_

_And one of your final corrections about Ilene hugging Merida back after Merida simply draped her arm across her sister's shoulder: I consider that a hug. A half hug, if you will, so that's why I said Ilene hugged Merida back. I suppose we all have our different ideas of hugging, don't we? :) Anyways, thanks for all your other corrections, I am going to try to remember them in the future chapters of the story._

_So, sorry everyone for the long forward, but when it comes to guests this is the only way I can answer their questions. :D So, here's the next chapter, thanks for the reviews, and here's hoping for more reviews! :D_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

* * *

_Chapter ten_

Lord Edward's Mansion

The last leg of the journey to London was a long and tiring one, but there were plenty of places to stop where they could rest and buy supplies. Many of the English villagers looked at the two girls curiously, wondering why such fine looking young ladies would be traveling alone.

"Those Scotswomen!" the girls heard one woman exclaim. "So used to their own barbarian land they must think our humble and dangerous country a playground. They even travel alone, you see!"

Ilene and Merida had glanced at each other and giggled, not sure what to make of _that _comment.

London was bustling with activity, people coming and going, trading, and gossiping. Ilene and Merida had never been in a city before, and they found their first experience fascinating. People were trying to sell their wares to the girls right and left, to which they politely declined and continued riding. Horses were everywhere, and the girls saw their first carriage as they guessed someone important was driven by.

"The King and Queen of England live in that castle." Merida pointed out. The girls whoaed their horses and stared at the magnificent castle.

"I like ours better. We have a lake and don't live in such a dirty city." Ilene commented.

"_Our _castle?" Merida asked coyly. Ilene glared at her and asked Mystery to trot on.

"Which way to Lord Edward's home?" they asked a trustworthy looking salesman. He looked the girls over quizzically.

"Scottish?" he asked in an accent that hinted at the same origins as they.

"Aye. ye too?"

He nodded. "Aye me lassies. What brings you to London?"

"We're here to see Lord Edward." Ilene told him. "Can you tell us where he lives?"

The Scotsman pointed South. "He doesn't live in the city, but rather about ten miles from here in a mansion." He told them. "Now mind ye, there are several mansions out that way, make sure to ask the servants if it's the right one. Ye really can't miss it, it has the largest barn on all the properties."

"So Lord Edward is a horse lover?" Merida asked.

"That he is. Said to have the finest thoroughbreds around."

Ilene and Merida looked at each other, confused. "What's a thoroughbred?" they asked at the same time. The Scotsman slapped his knee and laughed.

"I had the same reaction as ye when I first heard of 'em!" he said between laughs. "They're the signature racin' horse of the English. All the nobility own them."

The girls thanked him, and following his directions headed South towards the countryside.

* * *

It turned out the Scotsman was right, there _were _a lot of mansions on the edge of London countryside. "They have far more Lords than we." Merida said with a shake of her head. "Oye, what do they do with so many Lords?"

"Who knows." Ilene murmured. Merida glanced at the girl, noticing she seemed nervous. _Who wouldn't be? Lord Edward practically is the only one with answers to her past. _It seemed strange to Merida that this girl riding next to her had once been her sister, and now was-well, her adopted sister. She reflected back to the last two weeks. Not once had they referred to each other as sister. It almost made Merida angry at Ilene, but she quickly corrected and reminded herself that she hadn't called Ilene 'sister' either. It just didn't seem right.

Ilene suddenly reined in Mystery, who shook her head in defiance, wanting to continue on. "Whoa, Mystery." Ilene said firmly. The horse stopped prancing, and snorted. Ilene turned to Merida and gestured at a large mansion with an even larger barn.

"That places match's the Scotsman description." She said.

Merida looked at the large structures. "Aye." She agreed. "Let's go ask the servants if this is the right house."

The girls trotted up the long dirt driveway, conscious of the field workers who stopped what they were doing to stare at them as they continued towards the mansion.

Several servants were in the courtyard when the girls pulled up their horses, whoaing them and dismounting. "Is this Lord Edward's mansion?" Merida called out.

The servants had stopped what they were doing and stared at the two fine dressed girls, the blond one wearing a dark blue dress and the redhead wearing a dark green dress. The redhead had a bow around her shoulder, and the blond had a sword strapped to her waist.

"Yes, this is Lord Edward's house." One of the servants finally spoke. "What do you want with the likes of him?"

"We've traveled afar to speak to him. He has summoned me friend here." Merida gestured to Ilene, who nodded.

"Scottish." One male servant grunted. "What would Lord Edward want with the likes of two Scottish girls?"

Ilene looked down, and Merida patted her on the back. "Its fine Ilene, they'll treat yah different when they realize ye is of English birth like them." Merida assured her. Merida turned to the servants. "May we go in?" she asked.

"Lord Edward isn't home." A woman servant replied, narrowing her eyes at them. "So I suggest you come back where you came from."

"We must see Lord Edward or someone representing him." Ilene said firmly. "_Now._"

"Who do you think you are to take up such a tone with me? You're nothing but a Scotsman's child, the adversary's daughter!" the woman snickered.

"That is no way to talk to a DunBroch!" Merida snapped. Instantly the servant's eyes widened.

"D-DunBroch, as in the daughter of _King _DunBroch?" the man servant stuttered.

"Aye, the one and only." Merida retorted.

"My goodness, I must be blind. The redhead is the spittin' image of him." The man said with the shake of his head. He gestured towards the house. "If you have business with Lord Edward, than I suggest you talk to the masters of the house. Lord Edward will be most interested to find the daughters of DunBroch have come to visit him."

Merida and Ilene glanced at each other warily, than handed their horses to two servants and made their way to the house. The servant's continued to stare at them, whispering all kinds of things as they stepped up the steps and knocked on the large door.

A minute later, the door was opened by a butler, who looked the girls up and down. "May I help you?" he asked.

"Go ahead and let them in, George." The man servant called out. "They be the daughters of DunBroch."

The butler's eyes lit up, and he opened the door, bidding the girls to step in. Merida and Ilene looked around at the large entrance, paintings hanging from the walls, fine furniture with beautiful vases backed into corners, and a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

"Wait here while I go and get the mistress." The butler told them, and he turned around and walked briskly away, going up some stairs to where the mistress of the house must live.

Ilene and Merida stood there uncomfortably, staring at all the strange decorations. Deer heads were mounted on the walls, "But," Ilene pointed out, "I see no bear heads."

Merida didn't get a chance to answer, as the butler came down the stairs, followed by a young lady who looked to be seventeen, and a man who looked like he was in his thirties.

"Good day," the lady said with a smile, "My butler here seems to think you're the daughters of King Fergus DunBroch, but I told him that it was impossible." she giggled, and then glanced at the girls, looking a little uncomfortable when they didn't answer. "You aren't the offspring of King DunBroch, are you?"

"Aye me lady, we are." Merida answered.

The lady's eyes widened, and she turned to the other man who had yet to identify himself. "Michael, you were with father when he defended the village from King Fergus, do these girls look anything like him?"

The man named Michael, who had light brown hair and brown eyes, looked the girls over. "You, my dear," he said, gesturing to Merida, "Are the spitting image of him. I can't say the same of your sister."

Ilene spoke up. "I was adopted."

Michael nodded. "I do believe they are telling the truth, my dear." He said, turning to the lady.

Her face was troubled, the girls could tell, as she smoothed her dark brown hair and put on her best smile, curtsying before them. "Welcome to the home of Lord Edward. I am his daughter, Elizabeth."

"And I am Lord Michael of York, a close friend of Lord Edward." Lord Michael informed them, brushing his black cape back with one hand and bowing before them.

"Tell me your majesties, what brings you to England?" Elizabeth asked.

Merida glanced at Ilene, as if to say _you're the reason we're here, you tell them. _Ilene stepped forward and took in a breath.

"I received the message from yer father, and I am here to claim me inheritance."

Elizabeth and Lord Michael exchanged confused glances. "My father never made me aware that he contacted you." Elizabeth said slowly.

"He did. He sent a messenger by the name of Peter to tell me that me parents had died, and had left me their property. I am here to claim me inheritance and to ask yer father a couple of questions." Ilene told her.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip, a look of doubt on her face. "Very well," she said at last, "I believe you. But I'm afraid to inform you that my father is not here. He is up in Liverpool discussing a matter of much urgency with Lord Henry. He won't be back for three more days."

"I see." Ilene said slowly. "Then we shall be back in three days."

Merida and Ilene turned to leave, when Lord Michael called out, "Of course, in Lord Edward's absence I am here to watch his daughter, and am currently the master of the house. You ladies are welcome to stay here until he comes back."

Ilene stole a look in Merida's direction, her eyes plainly saying she would rather stay at Lord Edward's house than go back out into the cold and rain. Merida rolled her eyes, and turned to Lord Michael.

"As long as it isn't too much trouble." Merida said.

"Absolutely not, your majesty. We are honored to have you as our guests." Lord Michael assured her. Merida nodded, and turned to Ilene.

"We need to have the horses taken care of." She said.

"Leave that to the stable boys, I'm sure you're tired from your long journey." Elizabeth said, and turned to the butler. "Walter, show their majesties to the guest rooms, and tell Mary to fix up the beds."

"Yes ma'm." the butler bowed, and beckoned the girls to follow him.

"Thank you, Lady Elizabeth." Merida said with a curtsey. "We are indebted to you."

"The pleasure is mine." She said with a smile. "We'll be serving an early dinner in your honour, but if you want you can rest or have a tour of the grounds."

"Thank you for the invitation, but I believe we'll rest for a little. We are a little weary from our trip." Ilene told her.

"Very well, we shall see you at dinner than."

Ilene and Merida nodded, thanked Lord Michael and Elizabeth again, and followed the butler up the stairs to the guest room.

"I didn't know you were so capable of proper speech." Ilene teased in a whisper to Merida.

"Shut it Ilene, yer treadin' on dangerous grounds." Merida warned. Ilene couldn't help but giggle.

* * *

_So, there you have it! Another slow chapter, I know, and the chapter after this will be slow, too. But chapter twelve and on get really fast, so I had to incorporate some slower ones to even out the story a bit. :) Also, did anyone catch my joke about Lord Michael of York? (Hint, that's the joke) If not, I'll tell you in the next chapter what I meant. :) _

_Please review! And thanks to everyone who had reviewed so far! You all are amazing!_

_-Shire_


	11. Tour of the Grounds

_Well, here's the next chapter everyone! Happy New Year, by the way! :D Hope this is a wonderful year for all of you. I know I had the best year of my life last year, and I hope this one shall continue on that legacy. :D  
_

_Thanks to Synchronized Harmony and Awesome Story for the reviews. :) I really appreciate it! I'm sure all of you writers understand how important it is for us to receive feedback on our stories. :D  
_

_Oh, and like I promised I'd explain in this chapter, the joke I made up about Lord Michael of York in the previous chapter was just something random that I thought was funny. My absolute favorite bad guy actor happens to be British and is named Michael York, so I couldn't resist throwing something silly in this story for fun. :) Kind of dumb, I know, but I was enjoying myself.  
_

_So anyways, here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it and I will see you all soon! :D  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter eleven_

Tour of the Grounds

Merida and Ilene had no trouble falling asleep for a couple of hours, though they did get up before dinner so they could see the grounds. Elizabeth was napping, Lord Michael informed them, but he would be happy to show them around.

First he showed them the mansion, which was quite impressive, the girls admitted. Though they'd grown up in a castle their whole life, they were in awe of the great assortment of things Lord Edward had collected.

"You see that deer up there?" Michael said, stopping and pointing towards one of the mounted deer heads. "I took that one down in Winchester, when Edward and I went on a long hunting trip. He had attempted to shoot his arrow first, but I had already had mine set and firing by the time he'd pulled his out. I shot that deer right in the head, and he fell where he stood. He's a ten-pointer, and Edward insisted that he be put in his collection."

Lord Michael was quite animated as he told the tale, and the girls couldn't help but be reminded of Fergus, who acted very much the same as he showed off his hunting trophies. Except his walls were lined with more bear heads than deer.

Michael showed them the rest of the mansion, and then led them outside towards the barn. As they walked across the courtyard, Ilene suddenly shrieked and leapt back, pointing at a strange animal that had just walked up to her and hugged her leg. "Oye! What is _that_!" she squealed as the animal ran off, scared by Ilene's actions.

Michael stared at Ilene, than burst out laughing. "Do you mean to tell me you've never seen a cat before?" he roared.

"I may have, once, but I can't remember." She said in an annoyed tone. She was slightly offended that he was making fun of her.

"That my dear, is a feline. A cat. They're pets to several English people, and are wonderful at catching mice and rats." He explained, a grin tugging at his mouth. "I would have thought you Scotsmen would have a couple here and there."

"I'm sure several Scotsmen have cats, but we certainly don't." Merida stated.

"I'm guessing than your father prefers dogs? I remember he had a couple."

"Aye, we have several dogs. But no cats." Merida turned to Ilene. "Perhaps we should bring one home for Mum? I get the feeling she'd like one."

"If you have dogs, I wouldn't suggest bringing home a cat. Cats and dogs aren't known to get along, unless they're raised together young." Michael explained.

Suddenly, barking reached their ears, and Michael stopped, a smile crossing his face. "And speaking of dogs…Goldy!"

A strange, hairy looking dog raced around the corner, proving Lord Michael's comments about cats and dogs as the dog chased after a yellow cat.

"Goldy! Heel girl!" Michael commanded. Goldy stopped chasing the cat and raced towards Lord Michael, her tail wagging. Her fur was long, and her coat was golden/brown and white. Her ears were pointed straight up, and her tail was long and bushy.

"Your majesties, may I introduce you to Goldy, my prized Collie." Michael said proudly, petting the dog on the head. "She's a purebred, and from the finest of parents."

"Yah mean to say ye Englishmen breed dogs like one would breed horses, from the best bloodlines and all?" Merida asked in surprise.

"Why yes, of course. Where else would we get such fine dogs?"

"We just go and find us some wolf pups, and bring 'em home, train 'em up and use them as hunting dogs." Ilene explained.

Michael couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Goldy here is a dog of quality, and an expensive one at that. I paid twenty pounds for her."

"_Twenty pounds_!" the girls exclaimed. They couldn't imagine spending that much on a horse, much less a dog!  
Goldy sniffed Merida's hand, and Merida petted her on the head. "She seems friendly enough."

"She's a good dog. Now come along, let me show you the horses. If you're impressed with the dog, you'll marvel at the horses."

Another cat streaked across the courtyard, and Goldy couldn't resist. With a bark she leapt after the cat, chasing it across the yard and into a nearby field. Michael laughed. "Like I said, if a dog of quality like that will chase a cat, your wolf dogs will kill one in a heartbeat."

Michael gestured towards the barn and walked briskly in that direction. Merida noticed that Ilene was lingering behind, acting like she wanted to say something to Merida.

"What is it Ilene?" Merida questioned.

"The cat." Ilene whispered. "The cat is the sign."

"What sign?" Merida demanded. "Ilene, what on earth are ye talkin' about?"

"Don't you see Merida?" Ilene insisted excitedly. "The sign in me dream, the one of the white bear with stripes, the long tail, flat back and pointy ears! It was a cat! Only a giant one, much, much bigger than the one that hugged me leg."

"Are ye sure Ilene?" Merida asked doubtfully. Ilene nodded her head vigorously.

"Aye Merida, that was the sign in me dream. It was a giant cat that was white with black stripes." Ilene was dead serious, and Merida knew without a doubt that she believed that was what she'd seen in her dream.

"Perhaps ye saw one like that when you were young, and that's why it appears in yer dream." She suggested.

"I dunno. I simply dunno. All I know is the cat was the sign that the second man stepped from, the man who tries to kill me in me dream."

"Talk to Lord Michael, he may know what it is."

Ilene grimaced. "There's something I don't like about him, Merida. He's almost _too _friendly. Did yah hear what Lady Elizabeth asked him? 'Do they look like the children of DunBroch?' Lord Michael must have met D-_your_ Dad, during the squabble with the Englishmen twelve years ago."

Merida nodded. "Aye, I don't like him either. But he is master of the house until Lord Edward returns, so we might as well wait here. It's much more comfortable here than outside, anyways."

"Your majesties, are you coming?" Michael called from the barn.

"We're comin'!" Merida shouted back. "Come on Ilene, let's go."

The two girls raced to the barn, where Michael waited somewhat patiently. "Ah, there you are. Now I think you'll like Lord Edward's selection of horses. Only the finest of thoroughbreds are presented here, bred from the finest bloodlines." Michael stopped at the first stall, and the girls peeked in.

"My goodness, they're so skinny!" Merida exclaimed.

"Indeed my dear, they race better when they're thin and wiry." Michael explained.

Merida and Ilene shook their heads as they stared at the tall and thin bay mare, who glanced curiously at them.

"Do you have any Clydesdales?" Merida asked Michael, turning to face him. She was not at all impressed with the thoroughbred.

"Goodness no, we have no Clydesdales." Michael told her with a smile. "But we do have Shires, if draft horses are what you're interested in."

"Oh, I love Shires!" Ilene squealed. "Me own horse is a black Shire mare."

"I own a Shire myself. He's a large stallion, by the name of Thunder. I use him for my long trips, for my thoroughbreds wear out much faster than he, though he's slower than all of them. He's a good, steady mount. Come along this way, I'll show him to you."

Ilene happily followed Michael, and Merida shook her head with a laugh. "Finally Ilene, you've found someone who likes Shires like ye!"

"It must be the English in me." She said with a shrug.

Michael stopped and whirled to face Ilene. "You say you're English?" said he, not bothering to hide his surprise.

"Aye m'Lord, like I said earlier, I'm adopted. I believe me family was English, for King Fergus found me as a wee babe in England."

"When he took over the border village, yes, I remember that." Michael said thoughtfully. "I happened to be serving with Lord Edward at the time, though I wasn't there when he got chased back into England. I was with the reinforcements. I'm sure the King told you that?" the girls nodded. "But you mentioned Lord Edward sent a messenger that you should return and inherit your property, for your parents had died. DunBroch didn't take you away from your family, did he?"

Ilene looked pained at the mere suggestion, and Merida was going to answer for her, but she replied. "No, for some reason or another King Fergus couldn't find me family, and they couldn't or wouldn't contact him to get me back. I hadn't even known I _had _a family until a month ago, when Lord Edward sent the messenger."

Michael nodded, a troubled look crossing his face. "Hmmhm. Shall we go look at the drafts?"

Ilene nodded, and Michael gestured towards the far stall on the right. "Here we are. This is my own horse Thunder. He's a pleasant one, though he can be a bit of a pain when he becomes hungry." The black Shire lifted his head up, revealing a white star on his forehead. He looked around to see if the visitors had brought any extra food, than stuck his head back into his trough to continue his meal.

"He's pretty." Ilene smiled.

"Here are Lord Edward's Shires. He mostly uses them as working horses."

Ilene went from stall to stall, examining the grays, whites, blacks and brown Shire mares and stallions. Merida had never seen her so excited, as she pet each and every one of the horses. "Oye." Ilene said at last. "Oye."

"I take that to mean you approve?" Michael inquired.

Ilene didn't answer, just shook her head yes as she smiled.

"Lord Edward will be glad to know that. He likes it when someone admires his horses." Michael pointed in the direction of the house. "Shall we go have dinner? I'm sure Lady Elizabeth is up by now."

The girls followed the man out of the barn, Merida glad to see Ilene so excited. It had been a long time since she'd acted cheerful, ever since the day that she'd found out she was not truly a DunBroch.

"I really like yer Collie and Shire." Ilene was saying. "If I go back to Scotland I'm going to tell everyone there that in England everyone rides Shires, not Clydes!"

Michael laughed. "You're a unique one, aren't you?"

Merida spoke up for the first time since they'd left the barn. "Aye, she is. The most cheerful person in all of Scotland. She brightened our days when it rained, and made us laugh at her funny antics and sweet ways. Everyone is her friend, and she always tried to do what was right. She doesn't realize how much we need her."

Ilene glanced back at Merida, a look of guilt crossing her face, but she quickly erased it. Michael said nothing, and Merida could tell he knew she hadn't really been conversing with him.

"Oh, there you are!" Elizabeth said with a bright smile when they walked back into the mansion. "Getting a tour of the grounds, I hope?"

"Aye, ye live in a beautiful place." Merida told her.

"Though they're not big fans of the thoroughbreds." Michael commented, grinning.

"We prefer our Clydesdales, though Ilene here prefers Shires." Merida explained quickly, not wanting to offend Elizabeth. Elizabeth could have cared less.

"Draft horse lovers, I see. Well, enough talk about horses, let's have dinner." Elizabeth and Michael led the way to the dining room, Merida and Ilene trailing behind.

* * *

_So, yep, another slow chapter. __But I promise, the next one shall pick up pace! I get chills just thinking about it! :D_

_And by the way, in case someone is going to correct me on this: I do realize that Fergus's dogs in the movie were the Scottish Hounds, which are purebreds, but for the sake of randomness I said that they got their dogs from the woods, and they were really wolves. I always wanted a wolf, as did my friend T.E.M. Whom this story is dedicated to. So I put that in there for fun. :) But I do realize that the Scots had purebred dogs too. _

_Please review! Thanks for reading!  
_

_-Shire  
_


	12. Shadowed

_Here's the next chapter! Hope you all like it! Thanks to Synchronized Harmony for the review, and yes, I did incorporate my sister's and I pen name into the story. ;)  
_

_Well my readers, I hope you review! I haven't been recieving that many reviews lately, so please, please, PLEASE leave me a review! :D I would be ever so happy if you did!  
_

_Okay, so, here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire_

* * *

_Chapter twelve_

Shadowed

"We should like to visit London today." Ilene announced at the breakfast table the next morning. Dinner the night before had been uneventful, as the girls ended up answering questions about Scotland and how everything was fairing there. After dinner, they had gone off to bed, and had slept without waking until eight in the morning, much later than they were used to sleeping. Now they sat back in the dining room, enjoying a breakfast of ham, eggs and tea.

"Would you like me or Elizabeth to escort you?" Lord Michael offered. "We can show you the historical sites."

"Thank ye for the offer, but, no. We can manage." Merida said quickly, before Ilene had a chance to accept. Ilene gave her an annoyed look, which she avoided. She'd explain her reasons later.

"Very well then. I'll have the stable boys saddle up your horses." Elizabeth said, taking a sip of her tea.

It wasn't until they'd bid goodbye to their hosts and were out of hearing range that Ilene turned and glared at Merida.

"Aye, what was that for? They were only tryin' to be friendly, the least we can do is be nice to 'em!" Ilene complained.

Merida sighed, and asked Angus into a trot, Ilene following suite and cuing Mystery into a trot. "Ilene, ye yerself were talkin' yesterday about how you weren't sure what to think of Lord Michael. Well, last night I was lyin' in bed, when I heard someone outside. I went to the window and looked out, and there was Lord Michael, mounting up on his horse and riding off into the night. Now isn't that the slightest bit suspicious?"

Ilene looked down. "Well, I suppose ye had yer reasons. But personally I want to be on their good side, if yah know what I mean."

"No, I don't know what ye mean." Merida retorted. "Do ye mean ye want 'em to accept yah? Do ye mean yah want them to think of you as 'one of them'? To treat you right? Because if that's what ye mean, Ilene, yer tryin' to gain their approval by pleasing them. Yer tryin' to make them think of ye better than a Scotsman's child, their adversary's daughter. That will never work, Ilene. Once ye start tryin' to please people, they'll use that to their advantage and treat ye like dirt. Ye can't please men, Ilene. You just-can't."

Merida could see Ilene was distressed, and didn't say anymore.

"I don't want to be a man-pleaser Merida." She said at last. "But I want to be accepted. If I'm going to live here, I don't want to be treated as an outsider."

Merida's heart skipped a beat. So she _was_ considering staying. She'd hoped Ilene would see that the English didn't take too kind to Scottish folk, and that she'd come home with her, back to Scotland. For the first time Merida had to look at the fact that Ilene might stay forever, content to live in the land of her ancestors. She hoped she wouldn't, she prayed she wouldn't, but she had to consider it as a possibility. _Oh Ilene, how would I ever get along without you? _Merida wondered.

When the girls reached town, word must have spread around that the daughters of King Fergus DunBroch were visiting, for several marketers and passerbys stopped what they were doing to stare at the girls, pointing and whispering.

"News travels fast." Ilene muttered.

"Aye." Was all Merida said.

* * *

In the hustle and bustle of London, the girls failed to notice a man looking over some vegetables, who deliberately averted his eyes away from their direction until they'd passed by. He then glanced up, the hood of his cloak partially covering his face. He was a fairly tall man, and had dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Strapped to his belt was a long and wicked sword, the handle crafted with pearl and silver. It had been a gift from a friend, and he treasured it with his life.

The vegetable stand owner glanced up at his customer, slightly disturbed by the quiet demeanor of the man. It was almost as if darkness and evil was emitting from him, and the look in his eyes was enough to make him shudder.

"Find anything to your liking, sir?" the marketer asked.

The stranger shot him a glare, and the marketer avoided the cold look.

"This will do fine." The stranger said at last, throwing down some money and grabbing a head of lettuce. He turned and left the stand, slipping in and out of the crowds as he headed in the direction of the two princesses.

He dropped the cabbage into a trash bin, and kept an eye on his quarry. It was obvious the girls weren't used to the rush of the city, and he grinned to himself. This would be easy. He fingered his sword, and the grin grew wider at the feel of his beloved weapon. He had always preferred a sword over any other weapon, and in the hand of a man who's aim was deadly accurate, he was downright dangerous.

He glanced at the redhead girl, noting the bow slung over her shoulder, and the quiver of arrows that hung there too. _Archer. _He thought with some distaste. He never liked bows, they were below him.

The blond girl, on the other hand, was the one he was more interested in. She had a sword strapped to her waist, nothing special, just a regular Scotsman's sword. He smiled to himself. _Following in the footsteps of her father, she is. _Her father. The stranger growled to himself, slipping into an alleyway as the blond girl glanced back. The _last _thing he needed was her to remember who he was.

Oh, how he'd hated her father. He'd hated the whole entire village, the whole clan, and one by one he'd repaid them for their deeds. Timofey was the one who had evaded him the longest, but when he had caught up with him, he ended the hundred and seventy year long feud and had liven up to the promise he'd made to his own father on his deathbed. That was until he found out that Timofey and Natasha had had a daughter. For years he traveled, roaming all over Europe in search of the last child from the line of Dmitri Petrov. And in the twelve years he searched, he grew angrier and angrier at Timofey. Even though he'd slew him, he'd almost wished he hadn't so he could see his face when he'd found the man's beloved daughter and had finished off the last of the Petrovs. How his father would have been proud of him, achieving what no one else in the line of Ivan Kolinsky had ever been able to achieve. How his grandfather, great grandfather, his great great grandfather and his great great great grandfather would have congratulated him for ending what their great great great grandfather Ivan Kolinsky had started. _That is way too many greats to keep track of. _He thought in annoyance, popping out from the alleyway as he spied the girls continuing on. No one paid him any heed as he slipped back into the street and continued to follow the young ladies, his hand on his sword the entire time. It was hard for him not to get excited as he watched the blond girl, barely out of his reach. He _would_ make his father proud. He _would _make his grandfather, and great grandfather, and great great _oh forget it! _He spat. _Enough with the ancestors. The dead belong in the past, and I must tend to the future. _

And the future was doing a fabulous job of staying just out of his reach. If only she'd get off that horse.

He steadied himself, took a deep breath, and exhaled. _You've waited twelve years for this moment, you can wait another thirty minutes. _He thought. He would have to wait, if he was going to play this out exactly how he'd envisioned it every night, over and over again.

* * *

"Merida." Ilene said quietly as they continued to ride their horses down the cobble streets of London. "Where are we goin'?"

"To find the Scotsman we met with yesterday." Merida murmured. "I have a couple of questions to ask him about Lord Michael of York."

"Merida."

"Oh, what is it Ilene?" Merida snapped, than quickly reproached herself. "Sorry Ilene, it's just that I'm tryin' so hard to find him, and I feel so-hopeless." She gestured around to the crowds. "There are just so many people here! I don't know how we're ever going to find him again."

She sighed, than glanced at Ilene. "What is it that you wanted to say?"

Ilene jerked her thumb behind her. "I think we're bein' followed, Merida." Merida began to turn around to look back, but Ilene put up a warning hand. "Don't look back. If we are being followed, we'd best not show it."

"Do you think it's Lord Michael?" Merida asked as she asked Angus to move on again.

"No. He doesn't move like him." Ilene replied, doing here best not to look back. "Whoever it is doesn't want us to see them, and either is following us or someone behind us." Merida couldn't stand it anymore; she reined Angus in and turned him around to face the crowds behind her. "Merida!" Ilene scolded.

Merida ignored her and scanned the crowds, only catching a couple of strange stares here and there. "Ilene, I don't see anyone." She said at last.

Ilene chanced a peak and looked back. "I don't see him anymore either." She admitted. "No wait!" Ilene pointed towards a figure wearing a dark brown cloak, keeping his face hidden from view. "That's him!" Ilene said excitedly.

Merida's heart began to race as she wondered who this stranger could be, and why he was following them. She'd heard of infamous pick-pockets, and wondered if this dark figure was one of them.

Suddenly, the shadow lifted their hood, and Ilene gasped, as did Merida. "Ilene!" Merida groaned.

It was an old woman.

"Whoops." Ilene said sheepishly.

Merida rolled her eyes and turned Angus back in the direction they were headed. "No wonder our shadow didn't walk like Lord Michael, she's not even a he!"

"I'm sorry Merida, I thought for sure I saw someone following us." Ilene said apologetically.

Merida sighed, and grinned at Ilene. "That's fine. I'm a little jumpy too."

They turned down the next street, and Merida reined Angus in once more. "Look!" she pointed. "There's the Scotsman we talked to yesterday!"

Ilene strained her head to look, and her eyes lit up with recognition. "Yer right, there he is!"

"Come on, let's go talk to him."

* * *

The cloaked stranger peeked around the corner to see the girls had continued on, and shook his head, amazed that they hadn't seen him. _That was too close. _Another encounter like that and he might be seen. This time though, he'd been lucky. _Stealth has never been one of my strong points. _He grumbled. He waited until the girls had gotten around the corner, and he continued after them. When he too, rounded the corner, his heart skipped a beat as he saw the girls dismount of the horses. _This is it! _

He slipped by some people and hid behind some Jewish rabbis, who were all speaking in Yiddish. They took no notice to him, and the girls didn't seem to see him.

They were talking to the old Scotsman, who had paused from his marketing and was listening to them intently. The redhead was very animated as she flung her arms around to make her point, and the Scotsman nodded as he listened. The blond girl had her back turned to him, and didn't seem to be paying that much attention.

Now the question was, how was he going to get close enough to grab her? He frowned, and drew his sword partially, glancing at it. He could jab her in the back and threaten to kill her if she didn't walk with him, but that would draw too much attention.

Suddenly, the redhead and the old Scotsman walked away from the Scotsman's wares, and the Scotsman signaled the blond one to stay there and watch his stand. She complied, and moved behind it, sitting down in his chair.

His heart pounded as he watched the redhead and the Scotsman go around the corner, on their way to go talk to someone. This was it. This was his golden opportunity.

He slid through the crowds, trying to come in behind the blond girl so he could take her by surprise. She continued to sit there, staring up at the sky, not paying attention to anything.

The cloaked man curled his fingers around the sword as he came closer, his heart beating faster as his moment to shine lay just out of reach. When suddenly, the girl looked away from the sky-and her eyes laid to rest on him.

* * *

Ilene's heart stopped as she stared at the man ten feet away from her, his hand curled around the pearl handle of a wicked looking sword. He stared back at her from underneath the hood of his cloak, his sharp blue eyes boring into hers. And she knew it was him.

* * *

"Ah, there you are Ian!" the Scotsman called out to a short bearded redhead man. "I have a lass with me here who wants to ask ye a couple questions about Lord Michael of York."

Merida opened her mouth to greet Ian, when they all heard it. A terrible scream that sent chills down their back. And the worst part was that Merida knew that scream anywhere. _Ilene._

* * *

_OH NO! What's going on here? Who is this stranger, and why is he after Ilene, and how does Ilene know him!? Guess you'll just have to find out in the next chapter. :D So please review, I'd really appreciate it! See you all one review later!  
_

_-Shire  
_


	13. Revealed

_Well, here's the thirteenth chapter! Whohoo! :D After this there are only four more chapters, and then the story is done. I have already made it to 85 pages on the sequel, and am currently writing chapter twelve. :) I'm REALLY excited about the sequel, I'm having loads of fun writing it. :)  
_

_Thanks to Synchronized Harmony once more for the review-because you keep reviewing, I can keep posting the next chapter. :D Though I'd really appreciate it if my readers would leave me more reviews. I noticed I'm getting a lot of hits on this story, but hardly any reviews. Would you please review, my readers? I'd really appreciate that. It would make me feel so special! :D  
_

_So anyways, here's the next chapter, and some very important details are going to be revealed in it. :) Enjoy, and please, please, please read and review!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter thirteen_

Revealed

"Let me go!" Ilene screeched as the man shoved her into the wall of a building, frantically trying to cover her mouth.

"Aye! What do ye think yer' doin' man!" a man shouted from the mass of people milling about, running forward and withdrawing his sword. "Let the lassie go!"

"Let the child go!" another man shouted, he too grabbing his sword and racing towards him.

Ilene's attacker sized them up, and decided it wasn't worth it. He turned on Ilene fiercely and hissed, "I'm not done with you." With that he let her go and fled, the two brave men chasing after him.

Ilene slumped to the ground, sobbing. A sympathetic woman approached her, bending down and pulling out a hankie. "There there child, dry your eyes. You had quite a scare, didn't you? It's alright my dear, he's gone."

Ilene continued to cry, as her memory was jostled at the sight of Yarik Kolinsky. How she even remembered his name, she didn't know. King Fergus had told her she was 'not a year old yet' when he'd found her, unless of course she'd been an unusually small babe and was older than that. The memory kept playing in her head over and over again as she tried to sort it all out.

She remembered someone placing her in a basket, covering it with a blanket. She wanted to say something, but she was shushed. There were two people there, a man and a woman. Neither one of their faces was clear, yet they kept calling her something nice in a gentle tone. They must have been her parents.

Even though the blanket was meant to conceal her, she could still see through the fabric as a man entered, brandishing a long sword with a pearl and silver handle.

"Timofey." He had growled, and spoke rapidly. Ilene didn't even know what language he was speaking, yet she understood. "How long I've waited for this moment. I tracked you down for years, and you avoided my every trap, every snare and ever plotted out scheme." The man nodded towards the woman, who was crying softly. "Good to see you again, Natasha. I see you still haven't left Petrov. How unfortunate for you. I always liked you, Natasha, yet I could never understand why you'd choose a man like Timofey over a man like myself, a man of strength and power."

"Because Timofey has a gentle and kind spirit, and you're a monster." The woman sobbed. What happened next was a blur, but Ilene remembered screaming, and she was frightened.

"Natasha!" The man called Timofey wailed. He tried to run towards her, but the man with the pearl handle sword shoved him into the wall. "Yarik! How could you do such a thing?" Timofey cried in a sorrowful voice. "You once said you loved her!"

"When she started loving you, I hated her." The man named Yarik roared. "If you hadn't married her, I would have spared her life. But you did, and you dragged her with you all the way to Great Britain, now only to die with her."

Ilene didn't hear a sound as Yarik shoved Timofey to the ground. She only saw him raise the sword and bring it down with one quick motion. Shouts came from outside, yet Ilene remained silent. Yarik shot his head up, and sheathed the sword, running out the back door as someone entered.

That was it. That was all she remembered. And it was enough to know that the man she'd seen in the market place, Yarik Kolinsky, was a murderer. Whomever he killed had been close to Ilene, but she wasn't sure how. They acted how Ilene imagined parents would act like, but Lord Edward had said in his message they'd only died this year. If that was so, who were they?

Ilene suddenly felt someone wrap their arms around her. "Ilene, oh, Ilene, are ye alright?" Merida asked her gently.

Ilene wiped her eyes and glanced up at the redhead. "Oh Merida!" she sobbed. "It was him!"

* * *

Merida hugged her sister tightly as the young girl continued to sob. Several bystanders stood by, watching the scene a little uncomfortably.

"Who was it, Ilene?" Merida asked soothingly as she rocked Ilene back and forth.

"It was him, Merida! It was _him_!" Ilene cried, her tears wetting Merida's dress. "Yarik Kolinsky!"

Merida had no idea who Ilene was talking about, but if she knew his name _and _what he looked liked, that would go a long way in the process of catching her attacker.

"It's alright Ilene, I'm here now." Merida said gently. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

The Scotsman approached Merida, Angus and Mystery's reins in his hands. "The young lass is not fit to travel." He said simply. "Would ye like me to stable yer horses with me own for the night? We can hire a carriage to bring the lassie back to Lord Edward's place."

Merida thought about it. She really didn't know this man at all, but so far he was one of the few people she'd met in the last two days that she'd consider trustworthy. "Aye," she agreed, "Ilene's not fit for riding. But I have no money for a carriage, for we left it back at the mansion."

The Scotsman waved it off. "Ian and I," he nodded towards the red bearded short man, "shall pay for ye fare. Consider it one friend helpin' another."

"Thank you, me good man." Merida said gratefully. "I don't know how I shall repay ye."

The Scotsman shrugged. "Just doin' me job, lass. From one Scotsman to another, I shall always help me own people."

* * *

"What do you mean, she was _attacked_?" Lord Michael said huffily as he passed back and forth. "Why would anyone attack her?"

Merida stood in the center of the living room, her arms crossed. Ilene was upstairs in the guest room, fast asleep after crying for about an hour.

"I mean what I said, m'Lord. Ilene was attacked on the street. Some man shoved her into the wall of a building and tried to cover her mouth, probably in an attempt to kidnap her."

"Word must have gotten out you're DunBroch's daughters." Michael muttered. "Though I can't imagine how."

Merida rolled her eyes. _She_ knew how. The servants had no doubt talked to their friends about the important visitors staying at Lord Edward's mansion, awaiting for his return.

"Did you see this man? I can assure a much faster arrest if the Sheriff knows who he's looking for." Michael said, turning to Merida, folding his hands behind his back.

"_I _did not see him, I was speaking with a fellow Scotsman when I heard Ilene scream." Merida explained. "But Ilene did. She even called him by name."

"She _what_?"

"She knew his name. She called him Yarin Collinste." Merida said. Michael gave her a sharp look.

"What kind of name is that? Collinste isn't a name, but Kolinsk-…" suddenly his voice trailed off. "Very well, I'll tell the Sheriff what you told me." He said courtly.

"Shouldn't we wait until Ilene wakes up? She can describe him, _and _she knows what his name is. I'm not sure if I'm sayin' it right." Merida asked.

Michael shook his head. "No, we can't wait. Besides, for the girl's sake I wouldn't ask her any more about this. It may do damaging things to her health to remember such a frightening experience."

He then thrust his cape backwards and bowed. "I'll return within two hours." He said. "Good day."

And with that he walked out the door, heading towards the barn. Merida watched him go, a disturbing thought nagging her.

* * *

Ilene dreamed the strange dream again, and woke up crying as she always did. "Ilene, it's alright." Merida comforted, coming straight away as soon as she heard Ilene crying.

"Oh Merida, it's awful." Ilene moaned. "It's awful."

Merida sat there as Ilene cried, her own thoughts keeping her silent. When Ilene's sobs had turned to sniffles, she finally asked what was bothering her.

"Who is Yarin Collinste?" she asked. Ilene looked at her in confusion.

"Who?"

"Yarin Collinste." Merida repeated. "Ye-ye said his name right after you were attacked."

Ilene's eyes lit up with recognition. "You mean Yarik Kolinsky." She corrected. Then she shivered.

"So I did give the wrong name to Lord Michael!" Merida exclaimed.

"What?" Ilene asked.

"I told Lord Michael what happened, and told him the man's name was Yarin Collinste. Lord Michael than proceeded to correct me, saying that Collinste wasn't a name, but Kolinsk-and then he suddenly changed his mind about what he was saying and said he'd go and tell the Sheriff what I told him."

Ilene studied Merida's face, and bit her lower lip. "You think Lord Michael is connected with Yarik?" she whimpered.

"Ilene, I don't even know who _Yarik_ is." Merida told her, sighing. "If ye told me, we might be able to discern what goin' on here."

Ilene closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around her knees, and shuddered. "Yarik Kolinsky is a murderer."

Merida cringed. "That's a pretty serious accusation, Ilene. Are ye sure? Perhaps he was just tryin' to kidnap you for ransom, hearing ye were the adopted daughter of King Fergus DunBroch."

Ilene shook her head. "He's a murderer, and he wants to kill me."

"How do ye know?"

"Because I was there when he killed two people who were tryin' to protect me." Ilene said, her lower lip trembling.

"Ilene, I know it's hard for ye to tell me, but ye need to tell me everything." Merida said slowly.

Ilene nodded, understanding. "Yarik is the man from my dream, Merida. He's the man who steps out of the white with black stripes cat sign, and tries to kill me. I was there, Merida, I was there when he killed a man and a woman. I don't know who they are, their faces are blurry in me memory. But the man's name was Timofey and the woman's name was Natasha."

"Awfully strange names." Merida commented.

"Aye, and they were all speakin' in a different language! Yet I understood them! I don't know how, but I understood them!" Ilene said, her voice rising as she grew more and more excited. "I think they were me parents, Merida. I think they were me family."

"But how could that be? Lord Edward said in his message they died this year!" Merida exclaimed.

"Perhaps that was a trick to get me to come to England, so Yarik could kill me." Ilene suggested hoarsely. "And to think, I fell for it."

"Ye don't know that Ilene." Merida said quickly.

"Aye, but I do! Merida, I'm absolutely sure they were me parents!" Ilene insisted.

"But what about the first man in yer dream, Ilene? The man who calls to you. You thought he was yer father. Yet ye said that in yer memory you can't see the man and woman's face, because they're too blurred." Merida pointed out.

Ilene's eyes widened. "Oh Merida, yer right!" she shouted. "Timofey _is _the first man in me dream! I remember! He has the same face! Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Are ye sure Ilene? You may be pasting a face there where it doesn't belong. Ye may just _think _it's the same man, but it really is someone else entirely." Merida told her.

Ilene shook her head again. "No Merida, Timofey is the first man in me dream. He's the one who calls out to me. And Yarik is for sure the second man, the man who tries to kill me."

"That's great ye figured it out, Ilene, but what does it mean? Why is Yarik tryin' to kill yah in yer dream, and why is the first man, Timofey, calling to you?"

Ilene sighed. "I dunno Merida. When I remember seeing Yarik, he was angry."

"We if he's a murderer he has to be angry to kill someone."

"I know _that_. But he was sayin' things about 'tracking him down for years' and 'followed you to Great Britain, to kill you here.' Obviously what I'm remembering had to have taken place in England! Da-_yer _Dad must have found me after Yarik slew me Mum and Dad!"

"What's going on in here?" Lady Elizabeth asked, popping her head around the corner. "Oh, Ilene! I'm glad to see you're feeling better. I was wondering if you girls would like to go with me to greet father. I just received a message that Lord Edward, my father, is coming home tonight, and he should be in town by five. Would you girls like to come with me? I'd feel better having someone along, since Lord Michael is out describing that dreadful man to the Sheriff."

Merida was about to say no, but Ilene quickly agreed. "Aye, we'll come with ye."

"Oh thank you girls. I would feel so much better with you along." She said with a smile. "Michael said that someone came and brought your horses back, and they're now stabled in the barn. Would you like to ride your own horses or one of ours?"

"Ours, please." Merida told her.

"Very well, I'll meet you at the barn." With that Elizabeth turned around and left the room.

"Ilene, are ye sure yer up for a ride to town?" Merida asked anxiously as Ilene hopped off the bed and headed out the door.

"Merida, I have so many questions that are left unanswered. This is the opportune time to ask Elizabeth a couple questions about her father."

* * *

_What's going on here? Why is Yarik trying to kill Ilene? Is Timofey really Ilene's father, and if so, why did Lord Edward say in his message her parents had only died that year? In Ilene's memory, they had died at least twelve years before! And why do all the people in Ilene's memories have such strange names, and speak a different language? Tune in next time for another exciting chapter! :D ;)_

_Please review everyone! You will make my day! :D  
_

_-Shire  
_


	14. Adversaries

_Okay everyone, here's the next chapter! Whew! Only three more to go after this. :D And then I will start posting chapters to the sequel! (Which, if you ask me, is even more awesome than this story) :D  
_

_Thanks again to Synchronized Harmony for the review. It really, really, REALLY means a lot to me to receive reviews from my readers. :D  
_

_To everyone else, thanks for reading. But would you please do me a favor and review? That would be so nice of you to do so. :)  
_

_Okay, so, here's the next chapter. This one really explains a lot of what's going on, though there's still a lot to be uncovered. Hope you enjoy, please review, and have a great weekend!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter fourteen_

Adversaries

"So, Lady Elizabeth, how old were ye when the brawling between the Scots and the English started?" Ilene asked innocently as they rode along at a slow walk, Elizabeth riding side saddle like a lady.

"Oh, I was about five." She replied, a little uncomfortably. Merida could see that discussing the squabble wasn't on the top of her list to do with the daughters of the Scottish King.

"Do ye remember much about it?" Ilene prodded.

"No, other than my father was gone for a long time. That was back when my mother was alive. She died shortly after he returned, she came down with a scarlet fever."

"I bet yer father had a lot of things to say about the Scots." Ilene commented. Then quickly added, so that Elizabeth wouldn't feel too uncomfortable discussing it, "I know Merida's father had a lot to say about the English. It seems our fathers can never forget the matter. I often wonder why we all can't get along."

Elizabeth's face lit up. "I often wonder the same thing!" she exclaimed. "My father talks none-stop about the evils of the Scotsmen, and the Scotsmen are always talking about how bad we are. Why can't we all get over our differences and see that we're all people, regardless of traditions and accents."

"Aye, I agree. Merida's Dad has quite a few tales to tell about yer father." Ilene said with a grin. "I'm sure yer father has done the same."

"You should hear his story about when King Fergus chased him and his men right back into England, and when he held the whole village for three days!" Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, does he get so riled at the thought of it. But I do remember when he told the story of how DunBroch came to him, waving a white flag. 'I want to have a word with ye.' He said. My father was suspicious, wondering what this was all about. But King Fergus really meant it, he had nothing up his sleeve. In his hands was a little child, a little girl. She was crying her head off, and my father wondered where Fergus had gotten her. 'I found her abandoned in the woods.' He explained. 'I think one of the villagers lost her or left her behind. Would you mind going to them and seeing if someone is missing a child?' My father was shocked. 'you do realize I could grab you right now, and hold you here until your men leave the village, and then I could take you to London had put you on trial?' he asked. DunBroch nodded. 'Aye, I know.'

'Than why did you come?'

'Because this child needs her parents, and you're the only person I know who could help her.'

Well, needless to say my father was impressed and let your father go, much to the annoyance of the other commanders. My father wasted no time finding the refugee villagers, and asking them if anyone was missing a child. One man came forward, and explained he'd found a little girl in a lone cabin in the woods completely by herself. He had taken her back to the village just as King Fergus had taken over. The man couldn't carry the baby and his provisions, and since she had already been abandoned once he left her again. 'But honestly, I didn't take her from her parents. Not a single living soul was there.' He had sworn. My father believed him, rode back to Fergus, and told him the child hadn't been claimed. For those two hours my father and DunBroch forgot their differences and worked together. As soon as King Fergus left though, back to fighting they went! Even though my father hates him for making a fool out of him, he will never forget how gentle and kind he seemed when he'd found the little girl."

Elizabeth paused, and glanced at Ilene. "I suppose the little girl was you, huh, Ilene?" she asked.

Tears were brimming in Ilene's eyes, and she looked away. She caught Merida's eye, and she glanced down. Merida couldn't believe it. _Why hadn't Dad told her that he had done all of that for her! _Merida's thoughts screamed. If he had, Ilene may not have run off, realizing how much her adopted Mum and Dad really did love her.

"Lady Elizabeth," Ilene said suddenly, wiping the tears from her eyes, "Why did your father keep searching for me parents?"

Elizabeth frowned. "I don't know, honestly." She admitted. "He never told me about it. I'm sorry that you're parents died this year, Ilene, I truly am."

Ilene shook her head. "They died a long time ago." She said slowly. She said it so absolute that Merida gave her a sharp look.

"We don't know that Ilene." She objected.

"They died, Merida!" Ilene exploded, turning Mystery to face her. "They died! End of story! It was them! I know it was them! What I don't understand is why I was sent for if they're already dead!"

Merida was taken aback, and Elizabeth stared at Ilene. Ilene herself looked surprised, than sorrowful.

"I'm sorry." She choked. "I didn't-I-I'm sorry."

Elizabeth glanced at Merida, a confused look on her face. "Ilene," Elizabeth began, choosing her words carefully, "If your parents died a long time ago, than why did my father send for you?"

"He didn't." The girls whirled their horses around, and there sat Lord Michael on his Shire stallion, a grim look on his face. "Yarik Kolinsky did."

"Yarik did?" Ilene stammered. Michael nodded.

"How do you know?" Merida demanded.

"Because I was in on it from the start."

The girls looked at each other in surprise. "You were?" Ilene asked.

"How could you have been, Michael!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "That man tried to kill her! You're just saying things, you aren't feeling well."

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry." He said, looking down. "I felt I had no other choice. He was going to kill you."

"Me!" Elizabeth yelled. "Why me?"

"Perhaps you should tell the whole story?" Merida suggested.

"It's time you knew." Michael said with a sigh.

"A few months ago, I was in London visiting my good friend, Lord Edward. While in town I was approached by this man who asked me if I could help him with a favor. His accent was strange, and I couldn't tell what country he was from. I was taken aback by his demanding tone, and told him I didn't know him and therefore wouldn't help him. He shrugged, and said, 'than Lady Elizabeth shall pay for it.' I gave him a sharp look, which he responded with a grin. 'How dare you threaten her!' I had hissed. He simply shrugged again, and suddenly pulled out a knife. 'you see this?' he asked, and suddenly he threw it across the road, hitting a bird that had just taken wing. He then turned to me and withdrew another, and pointed towards a girl on horseback riding towards me. It was Elizabeth. 'Let's see if I can hit her from this distance.' He said, getting ready to aim. I tried to leap at him when I was grabbed from behind by a young man, much stronger than myself. He pinned my arms behind my back in the dark alleyway, no one paying any notice. The foreigner raised his arm to throw the knife, and I yelled for him to stop. It was so noisy in the streets no one heard me but him, so he turned to me. 'I won't kill her if you do as I say.' He said. I promised I'd do anything, but that he leave Elizabeth alone. He nodded and had the other man whom he called Peter release me. 'I'll be in touch. Remember, I never miss a target.' He then walked away. Two days later I was riding towards York, thinking that if I left the man wouldn't find me and then he wouldn't hurt my dear friend's daughter. Who should appear but the foreigner. 'My young friend is watching Lord Edward's house at this very moment. I told him if I didn't give him the signal in an hour to break in and kill the man and his daughter.' He said plainly. I was mortified, and promised I'd do anything if he left them alone. 'If it's money you want, I will give it to you.' I told him. He shook his head. 'All I want is for you to contact your old friend Lord Henry, and ask him to invite Lord Edward down for a visit. Tell him to tell Lord Edward it's a matter of urgency, and it can't wait. Explain to him Lord Edward hardly ever gets out and needs a break. I'm sure he'll comply for you. Edward will no doubt ask you to stay with his daughter until he gets back, as he does every time he leaves. When he goes you should expect a visitor, a young blond girl who will tell you she's the daughter of DunBroch. I want you to house her.' The man turned to leave, and I called after him, 'is that all?'

He turned back to me. 'No. When she arrives, go to the _Raven Inn _and tell the man at the desk 'the last Petrov is here.' He will bring me the message.' The man then turned to leave, shouting behind him, 'and remember, Lord Michael, if you don't do as I say Edward and Elizabeth shall pay.' I felt like I had no choice, and did everything as he told me. The day you arrived I rode out that night and told the man at the _Raven Inn _that the last Petrov had arrived. I didn't know why he wanted the daughter of King Fergus DunBroch, and I guessed it was for ransom. I hadn't the faintest idea it was because he was out to kill the child! If I had I would have found a way out of it. It also seems that Yarik didn't even trust the man called Peter whom he had bring the message. Apparently he'd told the man his name was Nicholas, for reasons unknown to me."

"So Peter Willingham was in on this from the start!" Ilene exclaimed. Michael nodded. "And I thought he was just a messenger! I wonder why he helped me out of the river?"

"No doubt he was following us and reasoned that Yarik would pay him extra if he saved ye." Merida huffed. "Yarik wanted to kill you himself, Ilene. He wouldn't have been happy to hear that nature beat him to it."

"Oh, if I had only known it would all lead to this!" Lord Michael groaned. "As it is, as soon as you, Merida, described the man to me, I realized I had to tell the Sheriff everything I knew before he came back to make good his promise of killing Elizabeth and Lord Edward."

Lord Michael finished his story, and the three girls remained silent. Merida couldn't believe that one man, this Yarik Kolinsky, could cause _that _much trouble. And that he'd been able to plan this out so well!

"So yer saying that Lord Edward never sent the message, that Yarik himself sent it, and Peter Willingham delivered it? All of this was to bring me to England so Yarik could kill me? But _why_?" Ilene asked.

"I don't know child. I don't know what his reasons were. I assumed ransom. I hadn't realized he was going to try to kill you. I'm so sorry."

Michael really did look sorry, but it was hard for Ilene to grasp that this had all been a set up, one that Kolinsky knew she'd fall for. She dismounted off her horse, dazed and overwhelmed at the information she'd just received. The others followed suit, and silence reigned.

"And to think, he knew I would fall for it." Ilene moaned.

"Ilene, if it had been me in your situation, I would have done the same." Merida said comfortingly.

"He wanted me to leave! He wanted me to turn my back on Mum and Dad!" Ilene wailed. "Just so he could kill me! And to think Merida, he knew I'd do it. He knew I'd drop them like nothing and leave, hurt and upset about the news. How could I have done this to Mum and Dad? How could I have betrayed them so!"

Merida remained silent, knowing nothing she said would help. Ilene needed to work this out on her own.

Ilene turned to Merida, her eyes brimming with tears. "Merida, oh Merida." She whispered. "Ye were right all along. Ye were right from the start. I should have listened to ye. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." With that, Ilene leapt forward and hugged Merida. "Ye are my sister, I don't care if I'm not a DunBroch anymore, ye are still me sister. And yer Mum and Dad are the only Mum and Dad I've ever known. They are _my _Mum and Dad. And Harris and Hubert and Hamish are me brothers! Yah all are me family! What more can I ask for? You've always loved me; all of ye have always treated me right. How could I betray ye so? Oh, how could I do this to ye! To Mum, to Dad! To Hamish, Harris and Hubert!"

Merida hugged Ilene back as she sobbed on Merida's shoulder. "Ilene, ye were hurt. Ye were angry. Ye didn't know what ye were doin'. Ye wanted to escape, to change yer fate. Ye wanted to find out who ye were, and ye have." Ilene looked up at her sister, and Merida brushed aside a strand of hair. "Ilene, you are a princess. You _are _a DunBroch. And yer me sister, forever and ever."

And that's when Elizabeth screamed.

* * *

_So wait, Lord Edward didn't send the message? Yarik Kolinsky did? And Peter Willingham was in on it from the start? As well as Lord Michael? Why does Yarik want to kill Ilene so badly he'd go through all this hectic planning to get her to England? Well, I'll guess you'll just have to find out in the next chapter! :D_

_-Shire  
_


	15. Goodbye, Merida

_Well, I'm back! Here's the next chapter, and one of my favorites. :D Hope you enjoy!  
_

_Thank you Synchronized Harmony for the review, you keep me posting this story. :D And about your suggestion about making the dialogue a little more spaced, I'm posting this on a different computer that doesn't have the options to do so, so I will make sure later when I post the last two chapters that I will do that. :D Thanks for the suggestion!  
_

_Okay, so, here's the next chapter, enjoy, and please review! It would mean really a lot to me!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter fifteen_

Goodbye, Merida

Ilene, Merida and Lord Michael whirled around to see Yarik Kolinsky, who was holding a sword up to Elizabeth's neck. Elizabeth remained motionless, sobbing as the man kept the weapon pressed against her throat.

"Tonya." He said with a growl. No one responded. "Right. _Ilene_." Ilene started, and Yarik gave a slight grin. "Do you wish to see your host live?"

Ilene nodded frantically, shivers running down her spine.

Yarik pressed harder with the sword, and Elizabeth whimpered. "I said, do you wish to see your host live!"

"Yes!" Ilene cried.

Yarik nodded, pleased. "Good, good. Come to me, Ilene."

Ilene froze, and Merida glared at him. "She will do no such thing!" Merida snapped.

Yarik shrugged. "Wery well, I'll have to kill your friend, then."

"No!" Elizabeth shrieked, struggling against the man's grip. He held her firmly.

"Wait! Don't hurt her!"

Yarik glanced at Ilene as she stepped towards him, her whole body shaking as she approached him. He nodded, pleased, and loosened his grip on Elizabeth. "Come closer, _Ilene_." He said in a mocking tone.

Ilene swallowed her fear and walked straight up to him. With one quick motion Yarik released Elizabeth and shoved her towards Michael, who'd been standing motionless the entire time, afraid of doing one wrong thing and costing Elizabeth her life. Elizabeth hid herself behind him, still crying.

"Good girl." He said with a smile, the sword still in his hand. He grabbed Ilene's arm with his free hand and pushed her towards Mystery. "Get on your horse."

Merida watched, her mind racing as well as her heart as she slowly pulled her bow from her shoulder. She had to save Ilene!

Ilene hesitated, fear freezing her feet into place. Yarik grew impatient. "Get on the horse!"

Merida drew an arrow as Ilene, her hands trembling, grabbed hold of Mystery's reins. _Wham_! The arrow Merida had been holding was split in two, and a knife was embedded in the ground right between her legs. Merida stared at the arrow, than looked up at Yarik. Ilene let go of the reins, shock written all over her face. "Don't try that again." He said menacingly, moving his cloak to show he had more than one knife. "Put down the bow and the arrows."

Merida glared at him, and Yarik responded by grabbing Ilene and putting his sword up to her neck. Merida instantly dropped the bow, and threw the quiver of arrows down with it. As if they were playing a game, Yarik released Ilene as soon as she had done as she'd been told, a grin crossing his face. He turned back to Ilene. "I told you, get onto the horse!"

Ilene grabbed the reins once more, but Yarik wasn't going to wait anymore. He took hold of her and threw her onto Mystery's back, than with one bound he leapt onto the Shire behind Ilene. Taking the reins in one hand and grabbing Ilene around the middle, he was about to kick the horse into a gallop when Ilene suddenly wrenched the reins out of his hands and whoaed the horse. With a roar of anger he slapped her, and she cried out in pain.

"Stop it!" Merida shouted, her voice wavering.

"I just want to say goodbye!" Ilene wailed.

Yarik considered this, glancing at Ilene to Merida, than at Michael and Elizabeth, who were watching the whole scene before them with terror written on their faces.

"Wery well." Yarik said at last, directed the horse towards Merida. "You may say your goodbyes." Before Merida was able to say a single thing, Yarik raised his sword in warning. "If you try anything, I'll slit her throat now."

Merida nodded weakly, and turned her gaze up to Ilene. Ilene's eyes were swimming with tears.

"Merida, I'm sorry." She croaked. "I'm so sorry. This is all me own fault."

"No Ilene! It isn't!" Merida insisted, her own eyes filling with tears as she stared up at the girl who'd grown up as her sister. "Ye didn't know!"

"Tell Mum and Dad that they will always, _always_ be me Mum and Dad." Ilene whispered. Merida took hold of Ilene's hand with both of hers.

"You'll be the one tellin' them." She said fiercely. "I promise."

Yarik shoved Merida's hand away, apparently deciding that they had had enough time for goodbyes.

"Merida!" Ilene sobbed. "I love you!"

"I love you too, Ilene." Merida whimpered.

Yarik kicked Mystery into a gallop, shoving past Merida. Ilene looked back, her hand outstretched.

"I'll save you Ilene! I will!" Merida shouted, running after the fast disappearing horse as Yarik drove Mystery into the woods. "I promise!"

Then she was gone.

* * *

Ilene cried the whole ride to Yarik's hideout, sobbing her fears out. By the time Yarik had reached his destination, she had cried till she could cry no more, and now only looked stonily ahead, terror's icy fingers still gripping her heart. But she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

She proved that when Yarik stopped Mystery and dismounted, reaching up and grabbing her. With one leap she kicked him in the face, and he dropped her as he yelled.

She turned and fled, but got no farther than two steps before he'd grabbed her again in a near death grip.

"Let me go!" she screeched as he dragged her towards the isolated building that stood near the river. "Oh, let me go ye monster!"

Yarik opened the door and practically threw her in, shut the door behind him and locked it. "The last time someone said that to me I killed them." He growled as he pocked the key. Ilene stared up at him from the floor.

"My Mum called ye that." She hissed. "And she was right."

"Oh, so you _do _remember? I knew you'd remember me, but I wasn't sure if you'd remember what happened."

"Aye, I remember. I remember you killing me Mum and Dad, than fleeing like a coward."

Yarik didn't reply as he withdrew his sword. "I've waited a long time for this. Do you know how long? Twelve years. Twelve long years I've hunted down the last Petrov, and now I've found her."

He approached her, and Ilene shrunk back. "Ye, ye owe me a story first." She stammered.

"I owe you _nothing_!" Yarik roared.

"You're going to kill me anyways!" Ilene spat, tears she didn't know she still could cry returning to her eyes. "Ye might as well tell me why."

Yarik raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

Ilene shook her head. "I don't know why. I only remember you were angry with me father because he married the girl ye wanted to marry."

Yarik gave a short laugh. "That was _not _the reason I killed him." He retorted. "He was a Petrov! And once Natasha married him, she shared his name. I had no choice but to kill her too."

"So if me father was a Petrov, I figure that means I'm one too." Ilene said slowly. "But I don't even know what a Petrov is or where they come from."

Yarik shook his head. "Stupid child." He muttered, causing Ilene to give him a sharp glare. "Wery well, I'll tell you the story."

He sat down on a nearby chair, sword still in hand as he looked up at the ceiling. "Your great ancestor, Vladimir Petrov, was the cousin of my great ancestor, Ivan Kolinsky. The two of them grew up together, played together, and when they were men, raised their families together. But Vladimir was jealous of Ivan, for Ivan never squandered away his money on drinks or gambling, but saved it. He became a rich man. Vladimir, on the other hand, was a heavy drinker, and became addicted to drink. One night, in drunken stupor, he decided to act upon his jealousy, and stumbled into Ivan's house, demanding that Ivan give him money or he'd burn the house down. Ivan of course refused, thinking that Vladimir was only making drunk threats. He was wrong. Not only did he set the house on fire, but Ivan and his son Ijor were the only ones who got out of there alive. It was because of Vladimir that Ivan's wife and other two sons were killed, leaving Ivan without any home and a son to raise. Enraged, he repaid Vladimir back for his horrid deed, and burned _his _barn to the ground. Thus started their life as adversaries. They fought each other, they tried to kill each other, they sabotaged each other, they did everything in their power to end the other man's life. Neither one succeeded in killing the other man, and both died bitter. Ivan made his son Ijor swear on Ivan's deathbed that he'd repay the blood Vladimir spilled that night, and Ijor promised. He continued on the war with Vladimir's son, Alexi. The feud continued for years and years, Ivan's decendents making each of their oldest sons promise to continue to fight the Petrovs until the blood was repaid. Finally, the Kolinskys realized the only way to end the Kolinsky-Petrov war was to kill off the Petrovs. 'With them gone, we can finally live in peace.' They declared. My father did his best to wipe them out, and he killed fifteen of their men. But they retaliated, striking him down with a sword. I remember finding him a field that day, and he told me to finish what he'd started. 'Kill off the Petrovs.' He said hoarsely. 'As long as there are Petrovs, your future family shall never be safe.' And I swore to him I'd finish the task.

About this time I met Natasha, from the family line of Rubylov. I began courting her, and realized that she was meant to be my wife. But she didn't approve of the war on the Petrovs. I told her that the Kolinskys wouldn't stop until the Petrovs were wiped off the earth, 'for they must repay the blood their ancestor Vladimir shed.' I explained. She didn't understand, asking me why we had to kill them all. 'I understand that some of the men have killed your cousins, one of your brothers and your father, but why the women and children? They've done nothing!' she cried. 'Because they're Petrovs too, and as long as they're around the Kolinskys will have no peace. I must do this for my future family.' She grew angry with me, and told me she would never marry a man such as myself. And she left. Who should start courting her as soon as she left but a son of Petrov, one by the name of Timofey. He had never participated in the fights-I believe he was a distant cousin of Vladamir's children. But he bore the name of Petrov, and Natasha, to spite me, courted him. And they married. About this time my younger brother Alexandr and I devised a fool-proof plan that would finish our problem with the Petrovs once and for all. For five nights we spent in hiding, lying out our trap around the Petrov village. We had to work in intervals, never knowing if they'd discover us. And then, on the sixth night, it was finished. We had set out a circle of firewood around the outside of the village, and we lit it. That night we finished the feud, and rode back to the Kolinsky village. Our own greeted us with shouts of joy, and I was hailed a hero. That was until one of my distant nephews came back and announced that two of the Petrovs escaped. I of course was responsible, and was sent out of our village, told not to return until I'd found them and killed them. Angered that they'd abandon me after the great good I'd done them, I became infuriated when I realized that the two who had escaped was Timofey Petrov and his wife, Natasha. I followed them for two years, and once nearly caught up with them, but they managed to escape. They led me across all of Europe, across the sea and into Great Britian. Then one day, I found them. I had finally caught up with them, and with one swipe of my sword I struck them both down. At the time the English were arguing with the Scots, and I had to leave the village, for the Scots were coming. I was in a hurry to get out of there, and in my rush I failed to realize that there was one last Petrov. Why I didn't think that Natasha and Timofey would have a child, I dunno. But when the Scots arrived, I found myself a refugee with the rest of the villagers. It was then that I heard a child had been found in a cabin where a man and a woman had been killed. I couldn't believe that I hadn't even heard the child cry! I went back to the cabin, now cleared of the dead, and found that it was indeed true. I'd missed the last Petrov. And there was a rumor that the Scots had the child. I tried to go and retrieve the babe, but was too late, for the English chased the Scots back into Scotland and set up a border. I couldn't get in, and if I did I wouldn't have been able to get out. So I had to wait in England for eleven years, trying to find out who had the child, what gender the child was and where they'd taken it. Answers were slow in coming, but when I did find them I found I had a nearly impossible task. The child was a princess. I couldn't go into Scotland myself to kill her, I had to draw her out. For one year I planned and planned and planned, until I'd devised a plan that I knew would work. And it did, for you came to England on your own, without any force. And here I am, and here you are, and now you know your story."

Ilene stared at the man, overwhelmed about the story she'd just heard. "You failed to mention what country this all took place in, where I am from." She whispered.

Yarik rolled his eyes as he stood up, his sword still in his right hand. "Russia." He stated. "That all happened in Russia." He stepped towards her, and Ilene knew she didn't have much time. She had to stall.

"I had a dream that ye and me father were in, and ye stepped from a sign, a sign of a giant cat that was white with black stripes. What is that?"

"Your stalling." He stated bluntly, twirling his sword around. "But to answer your question, that was the Kolinsky's sign. We took on the sign of the rare white Siberian tiger, who signifies strength, power and dignity. The Petrov people took on a sign, too. They took the sign of the wolf, a cunning and intelligent creature that uses brain instead of strength to fight his adversaries."

"Also in me dream, I referred to me father as 'm'Lord.' Was he Russian royalty?"

"In a way. Both the Petrovs and the Kolinsky's were honored as Lords by the Czar, for an old favor the two family lines had done for a previous Czar two hundred years ago. No one remembers what the favor was, but the two families are still honored as Lords."

"And earlier," Ilene inserted quickly as Yarik raised his sword, "You referred to me as Tonya. Is that me name?"

"Yes! That is the name given to you by your father Timofey!" he snarled, notably impatient. "And now I am done talking to you, and will finish what I started!"

With swift movement he brought the sword down-right in the spot Ilene _should _have been. But she'd been waiting for this moment, and rolled out of his way. With a swipe of her feet she knocked him from his stance, and then grabbed a nearby stoke, bringing it down across his head. _Wham_! But Yarik didn't knock out so easily. With a roar he leapt up, grabbed his sword and swung it at her. She blocked the blow with the stoke, and struck back at him.

"If it's a fight you want, I'll give you one!" he shouted, slashing at her once more. She ducked, and struck the stoke against the blade, creating a large clashing sound. Ilene swung her makeshift weapon at Yarik's legs, hoping to knock him over again. But he was ready for this, and blocked her blow with the sword. What he was not expecting was for her to use this as an opportunity to twist the medal stoke around the blade and fling it backwards, the sword flying through the air and embedding itself into the wall nearby. Yarik stared at the sword, than at Ilene.

"You fight better than I thought."

"Aye, I should! I've had plenty of practice!" Ilene challenged. She was no longer afraid, but angry. "How could you kill an entire village of people, because of one man's bad past? Sure, I understand that some of the men in the Petrov village were guilty of killing yer own family, but how could you kill so many innocents? Ye are a murderer! Why must ye make an entire clan pay for a few men's actions?"

_Thunk_! Yarik threw a knife in Ilene's direction, which she dodged in the nick of time as it sunk into the wall behind her.

"Your family has caused my family nothing but trouble! I made a promise to my father as he died from the wounds that _your _family caused that I would finish the task he and his forefathers had started. And I aim to keep my promise!"

Yarik threw another knife at Ilene, and she flung herself to the ground as it whistled passed her. Yarik yelled in fury, leaping at her and withdrawing another blade, swinging and slashing it at her. Ilene shrieked when the blade made contact with her left arm, leaving a large bloody gash to prove its reality. She leapt out of the mad man's way, throwing herself backwards and dodging his strikes.

Suddenly Yarik screamed in pain, dropping the knife, his hand bloodied. On the floor lay the arrow that had struck his hand.

Ilene whirled around to see Merida, another arrow in place, ready to shoot. "Leave me sister alone!"

* * *

_Merida was able to catch up and save Ilene before Yarik could kill her! That was close! And now Ilene finally knows most of her story. Though there is still some lose ends to tie up, she now knows who she is, who her parents were and why Yarik wanted to kill her. _

_So, please review, have a wonderful weekend and there are only two more chapters after this! And then I will start posting the sequel. Which, to warn my readers who only read K to K+ stories, I am going to have to rate it T because of some scary scenes and character death._

_See you all one review later!  
_

_-Shire  
_


	16. Answers

_Yay yay yay! I finally got more reviews, and you all inspired me to post the last two chapters! Thanks to Synchronized Harmony, Sha28 and Nie for the reviews! You all inspired me to finish posting the story!  
_

_Well, here's the second to last chapter, and I'll be posting the last chapter after this. Please read and review, and thank you thank you thank you all for reviewing! You three are amazing! :D  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter sixteen_

Answers

Ilene and Merida lay on a bed, staring up at the ceiling that covered the mansion of Lord Edward.

"So, they arrested Peter Willingham for helping Yarik?" Ilene asked.

"Yep." Merida told her.

"And they are sure that Yarik is dead?"

"Pretty sure."

Ilene paused, than murmured, "He would have killed me if ye and the Lords hadn't shown up."

Merida didn't answer. She knew that Yarik had kidnapped Ilene for the sole purpose of murdering her. If she, Lord Michael and Lord Edward hadn't arrived when they had, there was a very good chance Ilene would not have survived the fight. As it was, she did suffer a little, her arm having to be cared for because of the horrid cut she'd received from Yarik.

Merida explained to Ilene later that not long after Yarik had taken off with her, Lord Edward on his return home had happened upon Michael, Elizabeth and her. They quickly explained what happened, and Lord Edward bid that Elizabeth return to the mansion while Michael, Merida and himself track down Yarik. Merida had been surprised at how calm he'd seemed, and they raced their horses in the direction that Yarik had ridden. In less than forty-five minutes, they spotted the large Shire horse of Ilene's, and burst into the abandoned building in time to stop Yarik from killing Ilene. Merida shot Yarik in the hand with an arrow, and he dropped his knife. But he wasn't ready to give up yet. He leapt out of a broken window and took off running, Lord Edward and Lord Michael in hot pursuit. Merida took the now crying Ilene out into the open air and wrapped her arm up, than helped her get on Mystery, and she herself mounted up on Angus. They then rode back to Lord Edward's place, and Elizabeth fetched the family doctor. The doctor arrived at the same time the two Lords did, and Lord Michael informed the girls that "The crazy man leapt off a ledge to avoid capture. It was too dark to see, but we doubt that anyone could survive a drop like that."

The doctor looked over Ilene's arm, and pronounced she would be alright, and he proceeded to bandage it the correct way. "Though you did to a find makeshift job, my dear." He told Merida.

Now it was two days later, and time found the girls staring up at the ceiling in silence. "The Lords said that they went down and investigated where Yarik jumped off the ledge, and found a trail of smeared blood. It looks like an animal, no doubt a wolf, dragged off something that had died there." Merida said, breaking the silence.

Ilene was silent for a minute, than sighed. "Isn't it sad, that me family and his family fought for a hundred and seventy years over what one man did? And then he went and killed the rest of the Petrovs. Yes, there were men guilty of murder among the clan, but he killed them _all_. What sane man would do something like that?"

Merida didn't respond. Ilene had told her yesterday the whole story Yarik had told her, and it was sad to think that Ilene didn't have any family left. But in another way, Merida was secretly glad, for she didn't want Ilene to leave Scotland and travel to the place of her origins, Russia. Lord Edward had listened to the story of Ilene's, and explained to them that it would take over a year to travel to Russia. "And that's if you survive the trip. There are wild animals, robbers, violent weather and who knows what else. Plus, you'd have to travel through the land of the Germanic tribes, and word is they're a little violent." Lord Edward informed them.

"Yarik was pretty determined to keep his promise." Ilene had muttered.

"Indeed, the man was slightly obsessed, to put it lightly." Lord Edward agreed.

Lord Edward forgave Michael for his trickery, realizing that Michael had done it to protect Edward and Elizabeth. "I am truly grateful to you, my friend, that you'd go through such extremes to keep us safe." He told Michael.

Michael apologized to the girls once more for dragging them into this mess, and they could tell he really meant it. They forgave him readily, knowing that Yarik had blackmailed him.

Everything was wrapped up, except for one thing. Merida could tell Ilene was thinking about it as the continued to stare up at the ceiling. _Why are we doing this? This is the most boring thing in the whole world. _Merida thought. But she did it because Ilene was doing it.

"Ilene! Please come here!" Lord Edward called from down the stairs. Both girls leapt up, and raced down the stairs and into the living room. Lord Edward smiled, his brown eyes showing his amusement at the princesses' conduct. "Ilene, I need to speak with you." He glanced at Merida, and added, "Privately."

Ilene glanced at Merida, hoping she wasn't offended. "Ye go ahead, I'll go play with the kittens." Merida assured her.

Lord Edward gestured for Ilene to follow him out the door and into the courtyard. She complied, and walked with the Englishman. For several minutes they walked in silence, than Lord Edward spoke.

"Elizabeth told me how brave you were, giving yourself up for her to keep her safe from Yarik."

"I had no choice." Ilene answered him.

"You did. You could have turned and fled, but you didn't. You knew Yarik was going to kill you, but you gave yourself up. That took courage, my girl. That took bravery." Lord Edward stopped walking and turned to face Ilene. "Which leads me to what I am going to say now. I wasn't planning on telling you this, but it seems you've proven your worth."

Ilene waited breathlessly, wondering what was so important.

"Ilene," Lord Edward began, "I knew your mother and father." Ilene stared at him as he continued on, her mind racing back to her dream. '_Lord Edward knows me.' _"Your father was a good man. I was the first person he met when he and his wife Natasha came to England. I met him at the shipyards, and my wife and myself greeted him and his wife. Do you know how we knew about their arrival?"

Ilene shook her head no.

"Your mother was a second cousin of my wife. Natasha's cousin married an Englishman named Arthur Young, and they had three children. Their first two children died as infants, but their youngest, Susanna, lived. She was my wife. Because of Susanna's mother, they always kept in contact with their family in Russia, though the letters took about a year and a half to arrive. That's how we found out that Natasha and her husband were coming to England-the letter arrived four weeks before they did. They told us what boat they'd be taking, and we met them there. Your parents were wonderful people, lucky to survive the feud between the Kolinskys and the Petrovs. Your father never took part in the feud, and was clean from any violence. But he couldn't forget the night Yarik and his brother burned down the village. 'All of my family was killed.' He later told me."

"Timofey and Natasha stayed with us for a year and a half. Two months in their stay with us their child, Tonya, was born. A year later they decided it was time to move out. So they moved to a small village near the border of Scotland. It was during this time that the Scots and English started quarreling again, and King Fergus DunBroch threatened to overtake the border villages." Lord Edward paused, a look of annoyance on his face. "That man drove me crazy." He muttered. Then quickly added, "No offense, Ilene. I do realize that he is your adopted father."

Ilene couldn't help but grin. "That's okay; he talks very much the same about ye, m'Lord."

Lord Edward smiled at the comment. "I would guess he would. Anyways, I led a small band of English fighters and did a couple of miniature battles with DunBroch. Nothing serious, but DunBroch whopped us several times. He chased us back into our country, and took over the border village that Timofey and Natasha lived. I knew that DunBroch wouldn't hurt the villagers, but my pride was wounded. I assembled a more powerful band of fighters, and aimed to take the village back and chase the Scots into their own country. I am never going to forget when King Fergus himself came to me, a white flag in one hand and a child in the other. I took one look at the child and I knew it was Timofey and Natasha's little girl. She was screaming and crying, she was. Tonya was never a big baby, and looked much younger than a year and a half. She didn't speak, either, making her look to be under a year old. I assume that Yarik told you that Tonya is your real name?"

Ilene nodded.

"Fergus explained to me he'd found the child abandoned in the forest. I was horrified, knowing that Timofey and Natasha would never do such a thing, but I refrained from letting DunBroch know that I knew the parents. So I took Tonya to where I knew the villagers were hiding, and asked where Timofey and Natasha were. A man came up to me and told me that they had been murdered hours before the Scots had taken over. 'No one has had time to figure out what happen, but we're pretty sure the Scots did it.' The man informed him. Another man told me that he'd been to the cabin, and had found the baby. He was bringing it back to the village when the Scots arrived, and he had to choose between the child he saved or his own possessions. He chose his possessions, and left the baby behind. Fergus had found her, and had brought her back to camp and then had contacted me. I asked the man who'd found Tonya what he'd seen in the cabin. 'It was awful.' He told me. 'The woman was dead, and there was a trail of blood, no doubt belonging to the man. I think he got drug off by the killer.' The man told me they'd been killed with a sword. I knew without a doubt that this was not the work of the Scots. It had to be Yarik. How he'd tracked them down, I didn't know. But I knew that sooner or later he'd find out he'd missed you, Tonya, and he'd return to kill you. I had to get you out of the country, and fast. So I rode back to Fergus and told him that the child had been left behind, and no one knew where the parents were. I didn't want him to know about the murder, for fear he wouldn't take the child because she was next on the black list. Fergus of course took the child, and told me he'd take her back to Scotland with him and continue the search for her parents. I knew he'd never find them, and told him if he couldn't find the parents that he must take the child as his own, and never tell her she'd been adopted. He thought this was strange, but agreed. The next day my men and I chased his men and him out of the village and back into Scotland. The villagers returned, and everything went back to normal. I didn't want Tonya to know she'd been adopted, for if she did everyone in all of Scotland would have known. And then word would spread to England, were I was sure Yarik was lurking around. Once he found out that the missing Petrov was in Scotland, I knew he'd hunt her down and kill her. And so, for twelve years Tonya, (you, Ilene) lived as a princess in Scotland, never realizing who you were. I don't know how Yarik figured out where you were, but he wasted no time. He sent you the message in my name, telling you that your parents had died and you had an inheritance, so he could lure you out into England. He must have realized he couldn't go into Scotland, kill a daughter of DunBroch and escape with his life, and he used the knowledge he gained that you had no idea that you were adopted. When I met up with my daughter, Lord Michael and your sister Merida, and they told me what happened, I knew right away that Yarik was going to kill you. Thank God we found you on time, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you this story now."

Lord Edward grew silent, and Ilene stared at the ground. At last, she had the whole story.

"Now I know." She whispered.

"Know what?"

"I had a dream, m'Lord, that ye were mentioned in." Ilene explained. "There was a man, that I later found out was me father. He told me that ye knew who he was, that you could tell me who I was. And now I know. Ye were my father's friend, and my mind never completely forgot that."

Lord Edward nodded, and Ilene detected a slight pleased look. Than his face sobered. "I am sorry that I've caused you so much pain, Ilene. I understand that you left because of the discovery you weren't a DunBroch. I'm sorry I told Fergus not to tell you. I didn't want Yarik to find out."

"Ye did it to protect me, and for that I am eternally grateful. Yarik might have found me earlier and killed me, if it hadn't been for ye." Ilene told him.

"And I, my dear, am eternally grateful to you. You don't know how impressed and indebted to you I am, for giving yourself up for my daughter, Elizabeth." Lord Edward said, smiling. "I don't know how to repay you."

"And I, you." She said with a laugh. Lord Edward joined in.

"I suppose," he said as they walked back to the mansion, "That as a distant relative of mine, it is in order to invite you to stay with my daughter and I, if you wish."

Ilene paused, glancing at the large mansion. She looked towards the barn, and saw Merida and Elizabeth playing with the kittens. Merida waved her over, holding up a black kitten.

"If it is okay with ye, m'Lord, I think it is time Merida and I went home." She said slowly.

Lord Edward nodded. "A wise choice. King Fergus may be a pain in the neck, a ruffian, idiot, and incorrigible, but," he paused, and it was obvious he didn't want to say what he was about to say next, "he is a good man. And a good father, for taking you in and raising you as his own. You owe a lot to him and your mother, Elinor."

Ilene nodded, and suddenly turned and hugged Lord Edward. "Thank ye for understanding."

Lord Edward smiled down at the girl, and hugged her back. "You are always welcome in my house, Ilene."

And she knew he meant it. But there was another house that was awaiting her that she had to get back to. And she couldn't wait to return.

* * *

_Well, onto the last chapter! :D _

_-Shire  
_


	17. Return to Scotland

_Whohoo! Here's the last chapter everyone! After this, I will be posting the first couple chapters of the sequel. And if you liked this story, I think you're really going to like the sequel. But that's just in my own opinion, and in my opinion, the sequel is really fun! At least I'm having fun writing it. :D_

_Enough of my ramblings, here's the last chapter and I hope you enjoy! Please review!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_

* * *

_Chapter seventeen_

Return to Scotland

Queen Elinor looked out the window of the castle, watching the snow fall. It was beautiful, and collected gracefully on the ground. Already the depths had reached a foot, and soon travel would become impossible.

She sighed, and a stray tear fell. How she wished Ilene and Merida were home. She doubted that Ilene would ever return, but she knew Merida would eventually come back. With this snow, though, it would be Springtime before she returned.

Elinor turned away from the window, yet something drew her back. She didn't know what, for the land was barren of any sights, but for some reason…

Elinor looked out the window again. Nothing. She began to leave once more, when movement caught her eye. She peered through the falling snow, wondering if it was just her imagination, or if she'd seen a horse and rider. The snow was thick, and it was practically impossible to tell, but there was _something _out there!

Elinor leaned on the window as three large figures became clearer and clearer. _Three horses. Two riders. _She thought, disappointed. Merida and Ilene had left with only two horses. That couldn't be them.

The riders were astride two large draft horses, both of them black. The horse one of the riders was leading was skinny and brown, yet tall just the same. _An English horse, no doubt. _Elinor decided.

The riders were wearing cloaks with hoods to protect them from the snow, their heads bent low as they pushed forward against the swirling white flakes. Suddenly, the wind picked up, and the cloak of one of the riders was blown off, revealing red hair-

"Fergus!" Elinor screamed. "Merida is back!"

Elinor ran from the window and down the stairs, yelling the whole time, "Merida is back! Merida is back!"

Fergus, who was at the moment wrestling with his sons, stopped, staring as Elinor rushed out the door, laughing and crying at the same time. It took him a moment to register, but when he did, he leapt up with a shout of joy.

"Me wee lassie is home!" he hollered, running out the door, the boys following.

Elinor reached the gate at the same time the Merida and the other rider did, shouting with joy, "Merida! Merida!"

Merida reined Angus in, and leapt off, running towards her mother. "Mum!" she cried as Elinor enveloped her in a hug. Merida hugged her back.

Fergus reached the mother and daughter and hugged both, shouting, "Praise God yer home!"

The boys caught up with their parents, and hugged Merida too. As usual, they didn't say a word.

The other rider dismounted off the black Shire horse, still holding the lead rope of the brown skinny horse. The rider stood there uncomfortably, realizing that no doubt they'd seen Merida's red hair and realized she'd returned.

It took a minute for Elinor and Fergus to realize there was more than one rider, and they looked up to see Ilene standing there.

"Ilene!" Elinor gasped. "Ye came back!"

Before Ilene could say anything Elinor ran over and hugged the blond girl. "Oh Ilene! I thought you'd never come back!"

Elinor started crying, and Ilene wrapped her arms around her neck. Fergus approached, and Ilene glanced at him. He looked at her for a couple seconds, than hugged her too.

"Me wee child." He said, choking back his tears. "I never thought we'd see ye again."

Ilene hugged him too, and she started to cry.

Merida, Hamish, Hubert and Harris watched in silence, wondering what to say.

After a couple of minutes, Elinor and Fergus released Ilene, who wiped her tears away.

"Ilene," Elinor whispered, "I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I am a horrid mother, to have treated ye different than Merida. I never trained ye for marriage like Merida because of something we agreed on with the other clans. When Fergus brought you back, it was decided by the Lords and him that since ye weren't from one of the four clans, that in order to follow tradition ye couldn't be married. I didn't want ye to feel different, so I gave you some lessons along with Merida so ye wouldn't feel left out. I hadn't the faintest idea that ye thought ye weren't good enough because I didn't train you the same way! Well, after Merida defied tradition, and after it was decided that we'd let the young of our clans find love in their own time, we met with the Lords once more." Elinor paused, her voice faltering. "It was decided that since we weren't following tradition to the T anymore, that when ye were old enough, and if ye found someone ye loved, you could be married. I wasn't continuing Merida's lessons to the extend I used to, and didn't see any reason to start ye just yet, as ye were still young. Oh, if I hadn't been so blind, I would have seen yer bewilderment, yer confusion and how ye questioned yerself, wondering if ye weren't good enough. How could I have not seen it? I was a terrible mother not to realize how ye felt, and for that I am eternally sorry." Elinor broke down and sobbed. "Oh Ilene, will ye ever forgive me for the terrible mistake I made?"

Ilene stared at Elinor, her heart reaching out to her. At last she knew. Elinor had done her best to follow tradition and include Ilene, so she wouldn't feel left out. And after the decision was made that Ilene could marry after all, she had let her have her freedom. She hadn't known how she'd hurt Ilene, and now Ilene knew she had never intended to make her feel unequal to Merida. She had tried to keep the promise they'd made to Lord Edward _and _keep tradition _and _make Ilene feel included. It was an impossible task, one that Elinor never would have been able to complete. But she had tried, all for the sake of Ilene. And now Ilene had heard her story, now Ilene knew her past, now Ilene understood the reasons, and now Ilene knew exactly what she was going to say.

"While I was gone," Ilene said, tears still in her eyes, "I found Lord Edward. He told me about me parents, and I found out who me parents were, and I know who I am now."

"Who are you, Ilene?" Elinor asked, her own tears continuing to fall.

Ilene glanced from Fergus to Elinor, than cried out, "I'm yer daughter!"

"Oh Ilene!" and the King and Queen hugged Ilene again, _their _daughter. No more did they have to wonder, she had said it herself. She was theirs, forever and ever. She had forgiven them for their mistakes, and had proclaimed herself as their own child.

Merida walked over, and Elinor beckoned her to come closer. She wrapped her arm around Merida, and hugged both the girls.

"My daughters, my young ladies." Elinor murmured.

Ilene looked up at the sky, thanking God that he'd given her Elinor and Fergus. For they were her parents from the very start, even if she hadn't realized it at the time.

Hamish, Hubert and Harris joined the others, and they all hugged each other, laughing and crying. They were a family, and they always would be. Nothing could tear them apart ever again. Nothing.

* * *

A lone figure trudged through the snow, his whole body aching and groaning. He was tired, he was cold, and he was hungry. And it was all _her_ fault.

Spying a cottage, he dragged himself to it, knocking on the door. He hoped someone was home, and even if they weren't he'd let himself in anyways.

The door squeaked opened, and an old lady with a crow on her shoulder eyed him. "Come in! Come in! I've been expecting you!" she said, beckoning him in. The man bent over as he walked through the small door, surprised at the woman's actions. How could she have been expecting him, if he was supposed to be dead?

The old woman clapped, causing a boiling pot to become brighter. With a start he realized what she was. She was a witch!

"So, let me guess, you want to read minds, breath under water, go to space and fight Darth Vader, go to the past, travel to the future, meet Indiana Jones, live forever, become a King!" she chattered as she grabbed some things off the shelves.

He stared at her, watching her work.

"Well, what is it you want?" she snapped, putting her hands on her hips. "And what are you willing to give me? I don't have all day, and spells cost a pretty penny. You better be able to afford it!"

He looked from the witch to the pot, and then back to the witch. Slowly, he put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out an old bracelet his father had given him. Etched into it was a large cat that was fighting with a wolf. He glanced down at it, wondering if he really wanted to part with this gift. But it was worth it, if it meant he would be able to finally kill the adversary's daughter.

He handed it to the old witch, and said with a low, menacing growl, "I want the strength of _ten_ men."

The witch glanced at the crow, who cawed. "Here we go again." The crow said with a shake of his head, and cawed once more.

THE END

* * *

_Thank you all for your support, reviews and for reading this story! I really appreciated all the feedback I received on this, and of course I always appreciate more feedback.  
_

_Since thanks are in order, I'd like to say a special thank you to:  
_

_T.E.M. For being a constant supportive of this story and for being my real life Merida.  
_

_Synchronized Harmony for always being faithful to review and to reading my story. And for being supportive, too.  
_

_sweenypotterlover, for encouraging me to post this story and for favoriting this story.  
_

_Ebony, for inspiring me to create a horse character off of her.  
_

_Nie, for reviewing and always leaving an encouraging note.  
_

_And, a special thanks are in order to all my reviewers!  
_

_sweenypotterlover, Synchronized Harmony, Nie, Origami-Pegasus, Awesome Story and Sha28. Your reviews mean so much to me, I really appreciate it. :)  
_

_And to all my readers who didn't review, I thank you just the same for reading my story. :D  
_

_Until the sequel, which shall be titled_ The Return of a Beast,_ I bid you all farewell and thank you all again!  
_

_-Shire from CollieandShire  
_


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